Pune: The Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) has begun a trial run of its first electric bus (e-bus) on Thursday between Bhekrai Nagar and Nigdi. 

The transport authority has bought a bus for the trail run. 

Around 125 electric buses are expected to join the PMPML fleet on January 26 next year. 

As per details shared by the authority, the buses will be nine metres in length and will be air-conditioned.
 
The first batch of 25 buses will be supplied by China-based company BYD, which will also maintain them. 

“The first trial run was conducted on Thursday between Bhekrainagar and Nigdi. For a week, the bus will be on the trial run. To check its compatibility, 20 sandbags were placed in the bus. After completion of this run, the bus will run in ghat sections of Katraj Ghat and Dive Ghat later this week,” said spokesperson of PMPML Subhash Gaikwad.

In July this year, the Board of Directors (BoD) of PMPML had decided to induct 500 air-conditioned e-buses into its fleet. 

BYD is based in China and has offices in India. The first batch of 25 buses will have a seating capacity of 31 people.

The entire electric bus plan will be executed under the Gross Cost Capital (GCC) model. 

Under this model, the company will be responsible for providing the buses as well as the infrastructure needed to run them, including charging points, maintenance, etc.