PM E-DRIVE SCHEME

• Launched on September 29, 2024
• Under Ministry of Heavy Industries introduced the PM E-DRIVE scheme
• Aiming to enhance India’s electric vehicle infrastructure.
• Builds on the FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles) schemes, which operated from 2015 to 2024 and provided significant funding to promote electric vehicles in the country
• The central government has allocated Rs 10,900 crore under PM E-DRIVE, with Rs 4,391 crore dedicated to subsidies for 14,028 electric buses across nine major cities.
• The subsidy for each bus will range from Rs 20 lakh to Rs 35 lakh, depending on the size of the bus, with no individual bus costing more than Rs 2 crore.
• The scheme involves state transport agencies leasing the buses on a per-kilometre basis, under a Gross Cost Contract (GCC), ensuring minimum daily operational kilometres.

KARNATAKA’S AMBITIOUS DEMAND FOR ELECTRIC BUSES

• NEWS – Karnataka seeks 5,000 electric buses specifically for Bengaluru, aiming to meet the city’s needs for 10,000-12,000 buses in total for efficient public transportation.
• The Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) currently operates over 6,000 buses, with about 400-500 older buses retired annually. There is a pressing need to expand the fleet.
• Existing E-Buses: BMTC’s current fleet includes 1,231 non-AC e-vehicles, of which 90 are leased under the Smart Cities Mission, and 300 were procured under FAME I. Additionally, 841 buses were acquired under FAME II, with another 80 e-buses expected soon.
• Future Plans: BMTC is also leasing 320 A/C e-buses to replace old Volvo vehicles and plans to add 120 midibuses and 10 double-decker e-buses to the fleet.