Being a developing country, small cities and interior areas in India are still deprived of prime facilities and availability of city transport.
Streamlining mobility and decreasing traffic congestion are the key challenges before these cities as the drastically increasing urban population is affecting the public and private transport systems there.
Tata Motors, being a pioneer in road travel, has played an instrumental role in revolutionising the public transport system of the country.
Being India’s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer and the country’s leading passenger commercial mobility, the company presented seven cutting-edge mass mobility solutions at Prawaas, one of India’s flagship bus and car travel show.
Tata Motors exhibited a robust product portfolio of passenger commercial vehicles across multiple fuel options at the show. It displayed modern and sustainable solutions for both last-mile and long-haul mass mobility needs.
Here’s the key highlight of major developments in the bus industry, and future plans of Tata Motors especially in bus segments based on Bus Coach India Magazine’s conversation with Mr. Rohit Srivastava, Vice President, Product Line – Buses, Tata Motors.
Products portfolio displayed at Prawaas:
Prawaas has emerged as an excellent platform for showcasing new products and technology as well as providing possibilities for deeper collaboration between operators, business visitors and other stakeholders within this segment. This year’s theme vitally highlights the necessity of using emerging technology and innovation to make sustainable transportation a reality. As a pioneer in the industry, Tata Motors has always remained aligned to this vision, and its diverse and smart range of products comes with varied clean fuel options, with their characteristic promise of safety, comfort and efficiency.
Tata Motors showcased the vehicles range of India’s first front engine 13.5-metre bus – the Magna sleeper coach for intercity and luxury travel. The Ultra Electric 9/9 bus specially designed for staff transport — Starbus Long Range CNG and LPO 10.2 CNG AC school bus. The display also features a customisable Caravan with modern facilities that is ideal for luxurious leisure travel. The iconic Winger 9S and Magic Express, ideal for last-mile passenger transportation, feature unmatched comfort for both driver and passengers with ergonomic seating designs and spacious arrangements. Each of the showcased products offers the lowest total cost of operations with highest efficiency and profitability potential.
Starbus Ultra platform is one of the most renowned fully-built bus brands in India. There are more than 1.25 lakh Starbus Ultra vehicles running on Indian roads. With a range of 150km in a single charge and seating capacity of 34+D Starbus Ultra Electric 9/9 is a technologically advanced electric bus with modern features like telematics, liquid cooling system for the battery, aerodynamic light-weight body and regenerative braking to redefine sustainable mobility and safe operations.
Starbus Ultra Electric 9/9 has been at the forefront in providing green, safe and sustainable transport solutions and have played a leadership role in delivering Electric Mobility Solutions under FAME-I, FAME-II initiatives of Government of India. These initiatives broadly focused on Public Transport. Moving ahead in this journey and leveraging the experience, Tata Motors will now work with greater focus on Faster Adoption of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) among non-Government Organisations.
Starbus Long Range CNG: Commuting has been made much easy by STARBUS whether it is daily commute or sightseeing or trips to the outskirts by travellers, comfort is foremost consideration. This is where STARBUS scores with its unmatched features that ensures travel in utmost comfort all the way. Enjoy excellent seating comfort with wider seats, armrest, mobile chargers, more leg space, reclining seats, improved suspension and reduced NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness). Cooling comfort is beyond customer expectations and that makes it the perfect bus of everyone’s choice. CNG buses range offers all these amenities under STARBUS brand.
Tata Caravan: Tata Motors, India‘s largest commercial vehicle manufacturer, has been at the forefront of innovative products and mobility solutions catering to the needs of its customers. Tata Caravan offers exceptional comfort and elegance for the evolving needs of travellers. The travel friendly vehicle has a lounge room and is furnished with contemporary conveniences including recliner seats and a television. It also offers a fully equipped kitchen with a microwave, induction stove, refrigerator and built-in storage. Comfortable double bunk beds and a bathroom with a shower. Tata Motors’ buses are also included in the completely air-conditioned Caravan.
Tata Starbus Ultra 10.2 CNG and Star bus Long Range CNG: With increased fuel price differential and TCO benefits, CNG is gaining more prominence among consumer preference. Tata Starbus Ultra 10.2 CNG addresses the need of a more comfortable and convenient vehicle for school, staff and tourist segment. In addition, Tata Motors has successfully developed a Long Range CNG vehicle for Staff and inter-city operation. An all-carbon full wrap plastic liner — The K cylinders provide five times more fuel capacity for uninterrupted operations. With the most advanced technology, the Long Range CNG is 70% lighter in weight, is corrosion free and maintains highest safety standard of the vehicle.
Tata Magna 13.5M Sleeper Coach: Tata Motors has unveiled Magna LP0 1822/69, India‘s first front engine longest 13.5 meter bus for intercity travel and upscale tourist application. A 13.5 meter-long, fully-built bus on the LP0 1822 chassis, offers unrivalled value to all stakeholders with its Cummins 6 Cylinder in-line engine, which has a low total cost of ownership for operators and ease of operations for drivers. ABS, retarder, and an anti-roll bar are standard safety features on the bus. For the best possible travel comfort, parabolic leaf-spring are offered at the front and air suspension at the rear.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell
Tata Motors is committed towards the vision of clean and sustainable mobility solutions for the future. It has enacted decisive steps to promote alternate fuel technology. The most recent being its steps towards the development of hydrogen fuel cell technology. Tata Motors is the first Indian vehicle manufacturer to have won an order for 15 Hydrogen Fuel Cell buses from Indian Oil Corporation. On the battery electric mobility front, it is the market leader having delivered more than 715 Tata Motors’ e-buses in various cities of the country and have cumulatively clocked more than 40 million kilometres. The company also offers the widest range for CNG buses across categories ensuring lower operational costs and higher profitability for the operators.
Technology and sustainability
Tata Motors has a very specific focus on sustainability and technology, whether forefront of offering clean, green technologies like CNG, LNG, Hydrogen Cell and leads from the front with its electric buses. It has emerged as the least cost bidder of Rs 5000 crore tender for 5430 buses across all five categories – 12 meter low floor AC and non AC e-buses, 12 meter Standard floor non-AC and 9 meter standard floor AC and non-AC under the CESL tender process in the remodel FAME II scheme for electric buses. These buses will be deploying in Delhi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Surat and Hyderabad.
The buses are expected to operate around 4.71 billion kilometres over twelve years saving 1.88 billion litters of fossil fuel. This will result in 3.31 million tonnes of CO2 from tailpipe emissions, a major step towards mitigating climate change. These environmentally-friendly buses boast state-of-the-art technology that ensures zero emission, making us to the top solution for a greener world.
Every aspect of these vehicles has been purposefully augmented to cater to both varied duty cycles as well as special applications. Incorporating the latest advances in technology, refined power trains and upgrades in comfort and convenience, our vehicles are ideal to fulfil the customer need of high vehicle utilisation for more revenue with lower costs for more profits.
Tata Motors have been at the forefront of technology and product innovations that have contributed significantly to facilitating the nation’s growth.
Business in India and future plan
The transport industry, specially the bus industry, was mainly hits by the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, with the government lifting restrictions, industry is coming back to the normal situations. The demands are moving up with a great pace. School, colleges are opening, factories are opening and people have started travelling.
Tata Motors witnessed considerable surge in demand during the Q4. Demand remained strong during Q1 as well. The transport giant attributes the government initiatives particularly STUs (State Transport Undertakings) for this good numbers. The electric buses orders are flowing with a very huge level after the state undertaking took some impressive steps. The company says that its buses are safe and comfortable and are economically viable ‘Made in India’ solutions.
Tata Motors focuses on current and future auto technologies to enhance the look and feel of our vehicles and to boost the overall driving experience for our customers.
The company has always been at the forefront of the clean and green emission efforts of the Indian automobile industry. It is committed to develop automotive technologies and operate manufacturing facilities that are environmentally sustainable.
Future plan for the company abroad
Tata Motors have already in the international business. It sells a decent number of buses to whether it is for the SAARC countries or the African continent. Tata Motors already have a dominant presence in the SAARC countries and Middle-east.
It will continue to focus on retaining its advantage of market reach and penetration. The company will continue to introduce new products, variants and fuel efficient products, as per the requirements. These will offer superior value to the customers and improve the company’s market position.