The company floated a request for proposals for the nearly Rs 5,500 crore tender termed as ‘Grand Challenge’ — a set of homogenized demand for electric buses aggregated across five major cities.
The cities to be covered under this “Grand Challenge” are Bangalore, Delhi, Surat, Hyderabad, and Kolkata in the first phase. The first lot of e-buses are expected to hit the roads by July this year, CESL added.
Through this ‘Grand Challenge’, CESL aims to deploy 5,450 single decker buses and 130 double decker buses.
“This is the biggest ever scheme in the world, and is based on an innovative, asset-light model that makes it possible for STUs to deploy affordably and at scale,” Mahua Acharya, MD & CEO, CESL said.
Delhi has requested 1,500 buses under the scheme and stands ready to offer state subsidies where they are required, Delhi transport and environment minister Kailash Gahlot said.
CESL said the benefits of participating in the Grand Challenge include lower prices realised due to aggregate demand, high quality benchmarked technology, access to FAME-II incentives, access to state incentives, air quality improvement, and access to domestic and international sources of finances.
Keeping in mind the changing environment, where climate change related issues and energy independence have turned the focus on EVs, CESL will later be expanding support to more cities.
