IISc to BMTC: Choose electric buses, save earth, earn more

Bengaluru: The BMTC’s initiative to buy an electric bus from a Chinese company for a trial run as an addition to its fleet was touted as a major eco-friendly initiative. There were hopes and speculation that more such buses would make their way into Bengaluru, but in vain.

A study conducted by IISc’s Sheela K. Ramasesha, S.R. Adeeesh  and Shravanth Vasisht revealed that electric buses are not only eco-friendly but also generate more revenue and profit than diesel buses per day as their maintenance and operational costs are low and the buses are more efficient. This new initiative could have a direct impact on the lives of people. There seems to be no political will, though BMTC is pushing for it.

Air pollution can be curtailed to a large extent by replacing diesel buses with electric ones, which also comply with international air emission standards. The new technology has also cut the time for recharging from eight hours to one. Electric buses can run for 16 years before the battery require change. Though the initial investment of the bus is high, the return on investment (ROI) is around 8 years.

The study pointed out that a litre of diesel emits 2.64 kg of CO2. If a diesel bus travels 170 km a day, it would guzzle 80.45 litres of fuel and emit 212 kg of CO2. In a year, it emits 77 tonnes of CO2.

On the other hand, electric buses do not have any direct emissions. Indirectly the energy consumed for charging the bus contributes to emissions. The amount of CO2 generated per kWh of energy utilised is 0.8–1.05 kg. Thermal energy contributes to approximately 60% of the energy utilised in the state. Sixty per cent of CO2 generated per kWh of energy is considered for the calculation. For consumption of 274 kWh for recharging the battery of an electric bus to travel 170 km, there is an emission of 132–173 kg of CO2. Annually over 25 tonnes of CO2 emissions can be saved by a single electric bus.

Adeesh said, “There are some factors that are detractors in introducing electric buses. If steps are taken to improve the manufacturing capability of such alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), they would help act as game changers. Another drawback of an electric bus is that the number of kilometres it can travel depends exclusively on the capacity of its batteries. Unlike a diesel bus, an electric bus cannot be re-fueled immediately.”

How was the study conducted?
The distance travelled per unit electricity consumed is calculated by dividing the number of kilometres traveled by the amount of electricity consumed. The charging cost or the travel cost for the bus was calculated by multiplying the cost per kWh, which is Rs 7.65 as set by the Regional Electricity Board with the total number of units in kWh consumed for charging the bus. The earning per kilometre for the electric bus is calculated by dividing the revenue generated by the number of kilometres traveled by the bus on the particular day.

The Passenger-Kilometres was calculated by multiplying the Total Passengers Carried (TPC) measured in terms of number of passengers and Total Distance Covered (TDC) measured in kilometres.

The travel cost for the diesel bus was calculated by multiplying the cost of 1 litre of high speed diesel with the total number of litres consumed by the bus on a particular date. The distance travelled per litre of HSD consumed is calculated by dividing the number of kilometres travelled by the number of litres of HSD consumed. The earning per kilometre for a diesel bus is calculated by dividing the revenue generated by the number of kilometres traveled by it on a particular day.

To examine the suitability of the electric bus in the city and to evaluate the sustainability of a diesel bus and an electric bus, a diesel bus plying on the same route taken by electric bus was considered. The data from March and May was studied. The travel cost of the electric bus was much less compared to the diesel bus which may be attributed to the rising fuel prices. The profits from the electric buses were significantly higher. This is because the maintenance and variable cost in electric bus is much less. They are efficient in terms of operation and consumption of energy.    

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Are there any plans to procure electric buses in the future?
We would like to bring in some electric buses and are looking at various models. We approached the government on many occasions as we hope to add a few electric buses to our fleet. The biggest issue we have is the capital cost which is very high.

What is the cost of an electric bus?
There are many variations as a lot depends on the type of battery and its charging options. Normally, an electric bus will be in the range of around Rs 2.5 crores.

What is the major hurdle in procuring them?
The technology is new so there are no manufacturers in India. As it is a relatively new concept, the capital cost is high and units are not easily available. We will be one of the very first ones to procure these buses, if manufacturers spring up in India as well.    

What are the eco-friendly initiatives that the BMTC has taken?
We have taken many steps in this regard. For instance, we ran two bio-diesel buses in pilot and now have called for tenders as the results were very encouraging. We are going to have 150 bio-diesel buses in the coming days. We are also looking at hydraulic hybrid buses, with a possibility of bringing in CNG buses too. Besides, this we are going for only BS4 buses for now as the emissions are comparatively low.