On March 23, EKA Mobility, in collaboration with GreenCell Mobility, received a Letter of Allotment (LOA) for the supply and deployment of 915 electric buses in Hyderabad as part of the PM E‑DRIVE Scheme (Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement).
The project will be carried out under the Government of India’s CESL-led PM E‑DRIVE scheme, which includes the rollout of 100 nine-meter buses and 815 twelve-meter standard-floor non-air-conditioned electric buses. This LOA follows previous awards obtained by EKA Mobility under CESL’s PM E‑Bus Seva initiative, which involves deploying electric buses in Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Puducherry, and Meghalaya.
EKA Mobility emerges as the second-largest recipient
EKA Mobility emerged as the second-largest recipient in the recent PM E-DRIVE deployment, with an order for 3,485 buses, trailing behind PMI Electro’s order of 5,210 buses. This procurement represents the largest electric bus tender in the country under the PM E-DRIVE scheme, totalling 10,999 vehicles.
EKA Mobility is expanding its presence across India by providing electric mobility solutions. In partnership with Chartered Speed, a bus mobility service company, EKA is deploying 1,750 electric buses in Bengaluru under the PM E-DRIVE Scheme. Additionally, EKA has deployed nine-meter electric buses for the Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT) in collaboration with Travel Time Mobility Orissa, with plans to deploy 100 EKA electric buses across the capital region.
Sudhir Mehta, the founder and chairman of EKA Mobility, says that while the focus has often been on electric cars, the real opportunities lie in the electric bus and truck segments, which are growing rapidly. Buses, light commercial vehicles, and trucks are well-suited for electrification due to their faster payback periods, Mehta said.
EKA aims to play a significant role both domestically and internationally. The company has an order book of over 6,000 buses from state and city bus undertakings, and 500 buses from private operators.
EKA operates two electric bus manufacturing plants—one in Pune and one in Pithampura, Madhya Pradesh, with the capacity to produce 10,000 e-buses.
EKA is a full-stack manufacturer of electric commercial vehicles in India, with a portfolio that includes electric three-wheelers, LCVs, trucks, buses, and coaches across 14 fully electric platforms. EKA has raised ₹2,000 crore and has already invested 90% of this in manufacturing capacity and product development. Notable investors include Mitsui & Co. from Japan, VDL from the Netherlands, the National Infrastructure Investment Fund, and Enam.