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Kochi: Launch of RTC e-bus Thursday

The launch will be held at Thampanoor bus station, Thiruvananthapuram, at 12.30 noon.

Kochi: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will launch 10 zero emission electric buses to be operated by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation on Thursday making the state the first do it on commercial basis in South India.

The launch will be held at Thampanoor bus station, Thiruvananthapuram, at 12.30 noon.

The buses, being taken on Gross Cost Contract basis for a period of 10 years, have already been dispatched from the factory of MID Volantra in Hyderabad.
Each of the buses, nine metres in length, will have 33 seats and can run 300 km in a single charging.

It will take four hours for normal charging and one-and-a-half hours for fast charging.

"After inauguration, the buses will be deployed in the Pampa-Nilackal section for operating chain services during the two-month pilgrimage season. Thereafter, they will be deployed in the Ernakulam-Thiruvananthapuram section for operating non-stop services at regular intervals," said Mr Tomin J Tachankary, KSRTC MD.

The buses will consume 0.8 unit electricity per km. Though the top speed is 120 kmph, it will be restricted to 80 kmph.

"While the cost of operating diesel and AC buses comes to Rs 31 per km, it's only Rs 4 for the e-buses. We will be charging the battery at mid-night when the power tariff will be the lowest," he said.

The buses, having air suspension and automatic gear system, have zero emission and generate no sound. It can be operated on all terrains. Each bus will cost Rs 2 crore approximately.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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