In a bid to control the menace of pollution in the city beautiful, Chandigarh, UT administration has been exploring options to improve public transport and electric bus have been on trial since June 14 in Chandigarh. The 26-seater covers 180 kms a day on single charge, carrying 1,750 kg has been doing rounds between PGI and IT Park.
The trial run has been quite impressive and proving to be a better option than diesel or CNG run buses. A 11-member committee inspected the trial run and scripted a preliminary report which says:
- Electric Charge: The bus takes six hours to charge fully, after consuming 110 units of electricity.
- Green and Clean: It has absolutely zero emission.
- Safe Battery: The bus has a fire safe battery.
- Economical: The running cost (Rs 5 for each km) is one-third of the conventional bus figure (Rs 15 per km).
- Mileage: The mileage (3.62 km per litre) is lower than the national average (3.82 kmpl).
- The version under test, right now, has a price tag of whopping Rs 1.5 crore, where as the conventional bus of the same size is just Rs 30 lakh.
The manufacturer claims the bus lasts 10 years and goes 185 km on a single charge.
FACILITIES ONBOARD:
It also has facilities like a closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera, a public address system and firefighting equipment.
Then, WHY ELECTRIC BUSES?
The CTU’s main objective behind going for an electric bus is to reduce pollution.
Over the years, the city’s air has deteriorated beyond the permissible level. The Chandigarh Pollution Control Committee (CPCC) has recorded 100 microgram per cubic metre (mcgcu m) of repairable suspended particulate matter (RSPM)–a serious amount.
Source: Times of India
The only negative is the high initial cost.