India-based Ashok Leyland, a flagship of the Hinduja Group, has unveiled the country's first Circuit electric bus designed and engineered entirely in India, by Indians, for the country.

In line with Ashok Leyland's vision for the future of mass mobility, the country's first 'Made in India' 100 per cent electric bus is a zero-emission, non-polluting vehicle, created specifically for Indian road and passenger conditions, said a statement from the company.

This new Circuit range of vehicles will be offered on multiple platforms, it said.

The chief guest on the occasion, Shri Ambuj Sharma, IAS, additional chief secretary, industries and commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu, said: “Today is a very significant day for us as a state and as a country.”

“India's first-ever fully electric bus, developed for India and made in India, is a big leap in mass public transport and we are glad that our company has been able to deliver this,” he said.

“This vehicle will support the government’s initiative of reducing India's eight lakh crore fuel import bill and is a promise for a brighter and cleaner future for all of us and for our future generations,” he added.

Vinod K Dasari, managing director, Ashok Leyland, said: “The Circuit series of buses is another testament of our commitment to leverage India's technological innovation to deliver relevant and best-in-class solutions for India and the world.”

“In April 2015, at the Fame Delhi workshop, we had committed to vehicles with full electric power trains by January 2017. I am happy to dedicate the first vehicle in this new Circuit series ahead of schedule,” he said.

“As a world leader in public transport, we can proudly say that we have created a product that will enhance the environment in the cities - this is in keeping with our company’s philosophy of 'Aapki Jeet, Hamari Jeet',” he added.

T Venkataraman, senior vice president - global bus, said: “The Circuit series vehicles are all exclusively engineered on India-specific platforms that can tackle varied topography, gradients, and usage conditions.”

“Integrated with a fire detection and suppression system (FDSS), this truly Indian innovation can travel 120 km on a single charge,” he said.

“It is built on a simple, mass-market platform that will enable the operator to cater to customers in city centres with minimal operational and maintenance costs,” he concluded. – TradeArabia News Service