Next year, new small commercial vehicle (SCV) and electric bus models are expected to be unveiled by EKA (Pinnacle Mobility Solutions Pvt. Ltd.). Head of Eka’s private bus sales branch Vinay Nidige spoke with Autocar Professional at the just-completed Prawaas 4.0.
The electric commercial vehicle company, funded by Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and VDL Groep, said that as part of its expansion, EKA would add 7- and 13.5-meter buses to its current roster of 9- and 12-meter vehicles.
“We are gearing up for one of the largest product ranges in the electric bus market,” said Nidige, underscoring the company’s intent to capture a broader market share.
The company aims to get into the three-wheeler market and wants to improve on its 1.5-ton truck, which is its present offering in the SCV class. In order to meet the varied needs of the market, the new series will feature both passenger and cargo variants with a variety of seating and payload combinations.
As part of their partnership, the business and Mitsui and VDL Group have agreed to invest a total of more than USD 100 million, or around Rs 850 crores, over a number of years.
Mitsui will support EKA’s goals in a few emerging areas by offering financial support and strategic advice. Meanwhile, VDL Groep, which is well-known for being a pioneer in the field of electric buses and coaches through its subsidiary VDL Bus & Coach, will provide EKA with state-of-the-art technology so that modern electric buses that are customized to meet the demands of the Indian market can be produced locally.