Tata Motors showcases its futuristic green mobility solutions

With an eye on smarter and greener mobility solutions for the fast changing urban India, Tata Motors on Wednesday launched a fully electric bus and as well as a hybrid unit, in a price band of Rs 1.6 crore  to Rs 2 crore, which will change the face of mass public transportation in the country.

Tata Motors, is the leader in the Indian commercial vehicles space with a market share of around 45 per cent, also showcased the country's first LNG powered bus and a fuel cell bus running on liquid nitrogen fuel. The company also unveiled electric versions of its light commercial vehicles SuperAce, Magic and  Magic Iris.

"This is part of our Horizon Next strategy to prepare for the future challenges of mobility. We are not just complying with emerging regulations of clean and green emissions, but ahead of the regulations curve," Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles Executive Director Ravi Pisharody told the media in Pune today.

The company is eyeing a big opportunity for such high-tech buses are major metros and the smart cities programme of the government where green public transportation is a major initiative. Tata Motors has already received order for 25 units of Starbus Hybrid buses from MMRDA Mumbai and deliveries would commence in first quarter of 2017-18.

The company aims to kick-start deliveries of fully electric buses in next quarter after getting a clarity from the government on the scope of subsidies for the segment, Pisharody said. "There has been a constant endeavour to develop and manufacture products that r3duce CO2 emissions and make the vehicles more efficient. We have been investing regularly on all road transport segments and have a capex of Rs 1500-2000 crore for new technologies and product developments, to further strengthen our market leadership."

Tata Motors that develops and manufactures buses in Pune, Dharwad, Pantnagar and Lucknow and also operates joint venture with Marcopolo of Brazil for fully built bus solutions, also displayed an articulated bus, which has been developed for specialized mass rapid transit corridors across India. It is one of the largest manufacturer of buses in the world, with an partnership with ACGL of Goa for making bus bodies.