Team Blitz India
NEW DELHI: The Government is aiming to introduce electric buses on long-distance routes and may offer incentives to promote their adoption, according to a report by the Economic Times.
The new plan specifically targets interstate passenger travel. Currently, approximately 1.25-1.45 million buses operate on intercity or interstate routes, with around 250,000 controlled by state governments. These buses predominantly run on diesel, and transitioning to electric models would significantly decrease emissions, the report said.
To support this initiative, the Government plans to expand charging infrastructure along highways, including fast chargers on major routes connecting urban centres. Additionally, a roadmap for assisting state governments in purchasing electric buses for long-distance operations is in development.
Citing a Government official,ET noted that electric buses are viable for continuous travel of up to eight to nine hours, and incentives are being considered to facilitate their widespread use.