EV Bus Routes in Kolkata and Important Places they cover

An electric bus is a form of electric vehicle(EV), which means it runs on electricity rather than diesel or petrol. An electric bus, unlike a hybrid vehicle that utilises a combination of battery power and an internal combustion engine, operates purely on electricity. As a result, electric vehicles are frequently referred to as “all-electric vehicles” to emphasize that they do not utilize any other form of energy. Electric buses store the needed electricity onboard or are fed continuously from an external source. 

Despite having a lower number of on-road cars than other major cities in the country, Kolkata has the greatest level of particulate matter(PM) and Nox emissions per 0.1 million vehicular population. This is mostly attributable to the operation of aging vehicle fleets. The city’s road transport emits around 4.6 tonnes of particulate matter every day. The State Transport department has stated that they would add 2000 electric buses to their existing fleet of 80 buses and make Kolkata a ‘greener’ city by 2030. The Electric buses would obviously change the ambient air quality of the city and significantly reduce the temperature, these will be the most prominent changes in our environment. Apart from this the other advantages or benefits of Electric bus are:

 1) Electric buses have the advantage of not emitting noise, which is especially essential in residential areas. One of the many issues cities face is noise pollution. Children are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of pollution, which have been related to asthma and poor test performance in schools. Both passenger buses and school buses are frequently used in locations with a high concentration of people, which is quite evident in a megacity like Kolkata. Electric buses create healthier air for our communities by eliminating vehicular emissions and pollutants. Also, passengers will have a better time riding an E-bus. Diesel and combustion engine buses shake, whereas the ride on an e-bus is smoother, making life easier for passengers, whether they want to work, talk or relax during their journey. They can also charge their smartphones and accessory electronic devices in the vehicle. 

2) Electric buses are also practical in terms of operation. Even though the initial costs of switching to an electric fleet can be high due to the extensive charging infrastructure required, these costs can be offset by long term savings in other areas: electric buses cost less to operate, have fewer components, require less maintenance, and have a longer life cycle. They may be more expensive at first, but they will save the government money in the long run. 

 3) Electric buses are equipped with a regenerative braking mechanism that creates power when braking. 

 4) Electric buses, with their enormous batteries and energy storage capacities, have a lot of potential for vehicle-to-grid applications, which allow stored energy to be fed back into the grid.

Some disadvantages of Electric buses are:

 1) To begin with, electric buses are substantially more expensive than conventional buses. Buses must also shift in and out of operation because the batteries do not last long enough for a full day’s work. To maintain the same frequency as CNG/Diesel buses, an urban transportation firm must maintain roughly twice as many CNG/Diesel buses. 

 2) Because battery life is restricted, such vehicles have a shorter lifespan than CNG/Diesel buses. Furthermore, because old batteries are a hazardous material, disposing of them is a problem. When it comes to the aggressive drive for electric vehicles, this component has received little attention. 

 3) Electric buses take a long time to recharge, rapid charging technology is still in process and hasn't developed much. Thus electric buses obtain far fewer real-world miles than stated, limiting the number of trips they can make when compared to a local diesel or CNG bus. An E-Bus can travel 70-95 kilometres with a full charge, which is much less when compared to a diesel bus. A diesel bus does 6 round trips per day which is double the trip done by an EV, because of EV charging optimization issues. Evs are underutilized and deployed in a limited way in the evenings. 

 4) Due to range anxiety, the buses are being underutilized. Although drivers are told to complete 3-4 full trips, most drivers bring them back to the depot due to range anxiety. 

Kolkata boasts one of the most diversified public transportation systems in India. It has the iconic yellow taxis, share autorickshaws, Asia’s oldest tram network, river ferries, app cabs, cycle rickshaws, and a variety of bus services including E-buses. So, the electric revolution is not far behind when compared to other important cities. Kolkata has already implemented the Tram, Metro, Suburban, and Circular railways systems with electric and zero-emissions mobility accounting for up to 23% of daily journeys. If bus electrification is also pursued, it will have a big influence. Private and public buses, minibusses, and chartered buses account for 57% of daily travel journeys, if these are replaced by electric buses, the positive impact it will bring to the environment will be far beyond anyone’s imagination. 

The Electric bus routes cover many important places including Howrah, Newtown, and Tollygunge which consists of railway junctions, office complexes and sectors, universities, and government buildings. The bus routes are as follows:- 

1) V-1 – Tollygunge metro to Airport Gate No.1

2) AC-24AL – Howrah to Kamal Gazi

3) AC-31 – Jadavpur to Behala Chowrasta  

4) AC-12 – Howrah to Joka 

5) AC-4B – Newton to Joka 

6) AC-34 – Dakhineswar to Howrah 

7) AC-54 – Howrah to Rathtala 

8) AC-48L – Kudghat to Cognizant Behala 

9) AC-15L – Howrah to Cognizant Behala

10) AC-16 – Tollygunge Tram Depot to Jankalyan School 

11) EB-1 – Newtown to Nabanna 

 Although the impact on air pollution levels has not been significant as expected de to the fact that only a small percentage of conventional vehicles have been replaced by e-buses (6% of the total conventional fleet) to date, annual CO2 emissions are expected to be reduced by 3100 tonnes, assuming a daily roundtrip of 100km per bus and an emission factor for 1.20 CO2 emissions/km per bus. So far, the impact on the electric distribution network, which is also important to examine, has been negligible. It’s also crucial to assess the influence of uncontrolled e-bus charging on utility load curves, because these buses are charged based on driving patterns, regardless of load demand, even if they are mostly charged at night and in the afternoon when load demand is comparatively lower. Although there will be an increase in demand if large numbers of conventional fleets are converted to electric fleets, utilities may offer a variable tariff-based smart charging system to control and assure the smooth running of their networks. Establishing a new charging infrastructure for additional e-buses remains one of the major challenges. Although 80 e-buses were accommodated in the existing depots out of which 75 buses commute every day. When talking about sustainability E-buses would significantly help eliminate air pollution in Kolkata city (which has the highest number of particulate matter) as they are not powered by fossil fuels, but by sustainable resources. It is necessary to continue developing and testing methods and technologies that may maximize the use of electric bus systems in public transportation and the development of a sustainable society, thus a greener tomorrow.

“We are committed to providing a smart, clean, and eco-friendly transport system in the state and are committed to introducing vehicles that run on cleaner fuel, thereby reducing carbon footprint. 80 electric buses and 60 buses that run on CNG have been rolled out by the two-state transport undertakings, viz. WBTC and SBSTC respectively. We are committed to introducing more eco-friendly buses throughout the state in a phased manner. It is my conviction that this step will significantly reduce particulate matter (PM) pollutants and will help citizens breathe cleaner air.” – Shri Suvendu Adhikari, Hon'ble Minister-in-Charge for Department of Transport, Department of Water Resources Investigation and Development & Department of Irrigation and Waterways, Government of West Bengal.