Tata Motors has supplied 40 9 metre electric non-AC buses tothe Jammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation. Some of these busesare plying on the difficult terrains of the Jammu to Katra route and theseelectric buses will also ply along the valleys of Srinagar. 20 Buses in Jammuwere inaugurated earlier this year and 20 more buses were flagged off at anevent held recently.

The Ultra Electric buses which have been handed over to theJammu & Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation are manufactured at TataMotors Dharwad plant. These buses will have a traveling range of up to 150 kmon a single charge. The buses run on lithium-ion batteries which have beenplaced on the rooftop to prevent breakdown due to waterlogging. The batteriesare liquid cooled to maintain the temperature within an optimum range andensure longer life along with better performance in tropical conditions. TheUltra electric buses are powered by an Integrated Electric Motor Generator andis built on the existing platforms of Starbus and Ultra. With a max power of329 bhp and continuous power of 194 bhp, the buses have a seating capacity of31. The company says that the buses will help in achieving zero tailpipeemissions, will also help reduce fuel costs by 50 per cent and, there'll be 20per cent better energy consumption and lower maintenance downtime as comparedto diesel buses. As an industry first, there will be air suspension for bothfront and rear axles to make travel more comfortable for the commuters.

Rohit Srivastava, Vice President and Product Line Head -Passenger Commercial Vehicles, Tata Motors, said, "With growingenvironmental concerns, electric bus will be extremely vital for mass transitbecause it is not only energy efficient but also reduces overall cost per kms.The electric buses will play an integral role in reduction of pollution load inthe congested areas of our metropolis. We are determined to develop alternatefuel technologies and create more energy efficient vehicles thereby supportingthe government's efforts towards promoting electric vehicles in thecountry."

The electrical traction components have been sourced frominternationally and the buses have been tested and validated by Tata Motorsacross states including Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Assam and Maharashtra toestablish performance in diverse terrains.