Chartered Speed to supply 1,750 electric buses to Bengaluru's BMTC from April 2027

Under the proposed arrangement, Chartered Speed expects to receive orders for around 1,750 buses, representing half of the 3,500 12-metre, non-air-conditioned electric buses for which it emerged as the lowest bidder. The company has quoted ₹62.92 per kilometre. It will supply the buses under a 12-year contract in partnership with EKA Mobility.

The proposed overhead charging system is intended to make more efficient use of depot space. Instead of installing conventional ground-mounted charging units, buses would be parked beneath charging gantries and connected to charging points through overhead pantographs. Chartered Speed Whole-time Director Sanyam Gandhi told Moneycontrol that the system could allow multiple buses to be charged simultaneously, depending on the number of charging points and the depot’s power capacity.

Charging a bus is expected to take approximately one to one-and-a-half hours. The company is studying similar systems used in China and Europe, particularly to overcome land constraints in a city such as Bengaluru.

The 12-metre, low-floor buses are expected to offer a range of up to 250 km on a single charge, with a battery reserve of around 15 per cent in the company's simulations. Actual daily operating distances are expected to range between 170 km and 250 km. Opportunity charging will be important for routes exceeding 200 km.

The buses will also feature CCTV cameras, wheelchair accessibility and designated spaces for persons with disabilities. Chartered Speed plans to recruit and train drivers in-house, with mandatory training, quarterly refresher programmes and simulator sessions.

BMTC is planning to induct a total of 4,500 electric buses under the Centre’s PM E-DRIVE scheme. The proposed fleet includes 3,500 non-AC 12-metre buses, 300 AC 12-metre buses, 600 non-AC 9-metre buses and 100 AC 9-metre buses. Karnataka approved the 4,500-bus procurement in September 2026.

The readiness of BMTC depots will be crucial to the rollout. The corporation expects depots to be made available from March–April 2027, while converting existing facilities for electric buses could take 45–60 days, including the installation of transformers, chargers and cables. If the infrastructure work progresses as scheduled, deliveries could begin in April or May 2027. Moneycontrol

The expansion is expected to strengthen Bengaluru’s public transport capacity while supporting the transition towards cleaner urban mobility.