JBM Solaris to invest Rs 300 cr towards Electric Mobility in India

This JV aims at introducing globally proven European technology for Electric Vehicles, which is sustainable and affordable, first time in India. The key focus will be towardslocally developing indigenous sources for all key aggregates, systems & components catering to domestic & global requirements. Solaris shall be bringing in its proven domain strength in electric buses while JBM Auto will provide its in-house engineering & design expertise, market know-how alongwith the manufacturing facilities and infrastructure.Production of ECOLIFE will start by Q4 of FY 16-17 at Kosi, U.P. incorporating variants of 9 & 12 meters. JBM Solaris shall further work towards indigenously bringing in the complete range of buses in further phases.

JBM Solaris, based in Delhi NCR, India will capitalize on the strong reputation Solaris Bus has developed as a leading provider of mass city transportation solutions and on JBM’s strength in the area of design and development to suit Indian requirements.

Speaking on the joint venture, Mr. Nishant Arya, Executive Director, JBM Groupsaid, “Our association with Solaris Bus comes in as a just in time move towards developing green solutions that will transform the public transportation domain in India. I firmly believe that JBM’s expertise in design & development coupled with Solaris’ rich experience in green mass transportation solutions will together result in developing products that are not only green but also convenient, safe and affordable”.

Dr. Andreas Strecker, CEO, Solaris Bus & Coach S.A., said, “We have supplied mass transportation solutions to more than 30 countries all over the world and we are extremely excited to partner with JBM Group. This joint venture is a very important step for Solaris Bus and will ensure introduction of our proven technology in electric vehicles. JBM and Solaris together are set to revolutionize public transportation in India with ECOLIFEusing globally proven & affordable technology”.

ECOLIFE is a zero emission vehicle (ZEV) as it is powered by lithium batteries, which are fast charging and runs upto 200 kms daily for city bus operation. This vehicle can also run on plug-in charging. The electric bus technology is adaptable to the city bus operation depending on demographic and geographic conditions. The savings over 10 years from ECOLIFE 100% electric with Zero Emission is estimated around 1150 equivalent tonnes of CO2 / 420,000 litres of diesel per bus.

ECOLIFE has a corrosion resistant monocoque structure, thereby making it stronger with longer lifespan than competitive products on Indian roads. The bus has cantilever seats that give extra leg room for passengers and increased storage space underneath for belongings. ECOLIFE also incorporates other utility features such as passenger information system (PIS), vehicle health monitoring system, etc.

“As a group, we are committed to creating and offering innovative green solutions.We are consistently participating in government initiatives such as Make in India & Smart City Development to contribute towards sustainable development of the nation. This JV between JBM Auto and Solaris Bus perfectly aligns with the Government’s vision to make India a 100% electric vehicle nation by 2030. JBM Solaris is committed to contribute substantially towards this vision in the area of public mobility vehicles” Mr. Aryaadded.

Once in commercial production, ECOLIFE will be the second indigenous mass public transport product from JBM Group. The group had introduced CITYLIFE in Auto Expo 2014. CITYLIFE is an ultra-low-floor luxurious CNG bus for intra-city travel.