Surat: The city received a new electric bus on Tuesday for a test run, marking a step toward expanding the city’s public transport fleet. After a prolonged wait, officials indicated that the city is likely to receive a new batch of buses in the coming months, subject to successful trials and performance clearances.The newly arrived vehicle is a nine-metre-long, 23-seater electric bus being evaluated for its suitability for city operations. According to the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC), the bus will be tested on several parameters, including ride quality, energy efficiency, driving range, charging compatibility, safety systems and overall performance under local route conditions.“The bus will be tested for various features and performance standards. Based on the requirements, we will seek necessary changes, after which the remaining buses will be supplied accordingly,” an SMC official said.As part of its fleet augmentation strategy, the SMC plans to procure 600 electric buses of a similar design and make in the next two years. The procurement is in line with govt initiatives promoting green mobility and cleaner urban transport. Under the broader plan, the city is expected to gradually move towards operating battery-powered buses for public transport services.At present, around 775 buses operate on Surat’s city routes, comprising both diesel and electric vehicles. Several models of electric buses are already in operation, giving the SMC experience in deploying EVs across different routes, corridors and passenger loads.The city also has an established charging infrastructure for electric buses, along with dedicated parking facilities to manage vehicle staging and turnaround. Under the existing operating model, SMC procures the buses, while private operators are responsible for running the services and maintaining operations on designated routes.
