Tamil Nadu has launched its first fleet of electric buses for public transport, deploying 120 low-floor, battery-electric buses across Chennai as part of a broader push to reduce emissions and improve air quality in the capital city.
The electric buses, operated by a private contractor under a gross cost contract (GCC) model, serve 11 routes throughout Chennai. Under this arrangement, the operator maintains ownership and manages the daily operations of the vehicles, while the government compensates on a per-kilometre basis.
Manufactured by OHM Global Mobility—a subsidiary of Switch Mobility owned by Ashok Leyland—the fleet cost the Tamil Nadu government ₹2.079 billion (approximately €21 million). Each bus can be fully charged in about two hours and has a range of 200 km, making it suitable for city operations. The buses are equipped with 39 seats, a low floor height of 40 cm that can be lowered to 25 cm using a kneeling function, and onboard surveillance with three CCTV cameras per vehicle.
The initiative also promotes inclusivity in the workforce, with 20 women employed in the current fleet—three as drivers and 17 as conductors—according to The Hindu.
The Tamil Nadu government plans to follow up with an additional batch of 135 electric buses, including 55 air-conditioned models. Over the longer term, the state aims to deploy a total of 625 new electric buses in Chennai to transition towards cleaner urban mobility. Officials estimate each diesel bus emits roughly 755 grams of CO₂ per kilometre and expect the electric fleet to contribute significantly to air quality improvements in the city.