For an electric bus operator, a bus is only useful when it can keep moving without any hindrance. That makes charging a key part of the business, not just a supporting service. ChargeZone has now taken another step in that direction with Fresh Bus, only a few days after its partnership with Landmark Cars for EV charging benefits.
The new deal will see Fresh Bus add 400 electric buses to ChargeZone’s network. The earlier 100 buses supported by the network will take the total to 500. The plan covers 20 cities and 17 more towns in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the next 15 months.
ChargeZone will add 30 MW of charging capacity for the new buses. It already has 10 MW dedicated to Fresh Bus. Once the work is completed, the dedicated capacity will reach 40 MW.
The companies expect the expanded network to handle about 100 million units of energy every year. It could also support more than 20,000 passenger journeys each day.
The expected environmental benefit is also significant. ChargeZone and Fresh Bus estimate that the expanded operation could cut around 9,000 to 10,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
Electric buses run for long hours and cover fixed routes every day. A delay at a charging station can affect the next trip too. This is why charging capacity and network reliability matter as much as the buses themselves.
ChargeZone says it has more than 15,000 charging points across over 1,200 locations in India and the UAE. Its network supports both passenger and commercial EVs. Its ChargeCloud and AutoCharge systems are also used for network management and charging access.
Fresh Bus runs all electric intercity buses with features such as live tracking, IoT based monitoring, security cameras and passenger charging points. Its buses are aimed at providing a more comfortable intercity travel experience.
ChargeZone is also working towards adding 200 MW of charging capacity across its wider network. The Fresh Bus expansion will form part of that larger plan.
For passengers, the change may be simple to notice. More electric buses can mean more routes with quieter and cleaner travel. For operators, dependable charging can make it easier to run a larger fleet.