changeadminPune-based EV manufacturer EKA Mobility has raised Rs 200 crore (~ $23 million) in a fresh funding round from private equity firm ENAM Holdings.
Founded in 2022 by Dr. Sudhir Mehta, EKA Mobility currently makes and sells electric buses, trucks, garbage tippers, and vehicles for last-mile deliveries and urban transport.
EKA Mobility electric buses are used in states such as Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Haryana, among others.
In collaboration with KPIT Technologies and BPCL, EKA has also deployed a hydrogen fuel cell bus at Cochin International Airport, Kerala. The passenger bus is part of a proof-of-concept project that integrates KPIT’s fuel cell technology and BPCL’s hydrogen infrastructure.
The company has strategic partnerships with India’s Pinnacle Industries, the Netherlands’s VDL Groep and Japan-based Mitsui & Co.
VDL is equipping EKA with the technical capabilities to make electric buses, Pinnacle Industries helps with seating solutions and structural design, and Mitsui has made significant financial investments to scale up its manufacturing operations.
The Pune-based startups intend to use the newly raised funds to expand their manufacturing in Pune and set up another facility in Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh.
As India grapples with rising air pollution and oil dependency, the electrification of public and freight transport offers a cleaner and more efficient alternative.
Electric buses are being rapidly deployed across cities under government schemes such as PM E-DRIVE, thereby reducing urban emissions and improving air quality. The scheme allocated Rs. 4,391 crore for the rollout of electric buses in India.
Simultaneously, the adoption of electric trucks is gaining momentum in logistics and last-mile delivery, driven by advancements in battery technology and lower operating costs.
Apart from allocating Rs 500 crore for zero-emission trucks, the government recently identified the top 10 priority corridors for sustainable trucking. These corridors will serve as blueprints for the future of freight movement.
With supportive policies, infrastructure development, and growing industry participation, electric buses and trucks are poised to transform India’s mobility landscape, and EKA Mobility can play a major role.
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Recently, India made its first commercial deployment of hydrogen fuel buses, sets a global benchmark for green mobility by operating at the highest altitude in the world.
The hydrogen bus station at an altitude of 11,562 ft is co-located with a dedicated solar plant of 1.7 MW to provide renewable power for its entire operational requirements.
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