EESL’s next tender for 10,000 EVs to open in March-April 2018

The state-owned Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) will float another tender for acquiring 10,000 electric vehicles in March-April 2018, confirming Autocar Professional’s report of October 23.

"There will be another tender for 10,000 electric cars in March or April next year," said Saurabh Kumar, managing director, EESL.

EESL is expecting a turnover of Rs 3,500 crore during the current fiscal with a net profit of Rs 250 crore. It also plans to enter the EV charging infrastructure business. According to media reports, another senior official said EESL would also look at procuring electric buses but the scale of business would depend on demand.

The official mentioned that there is huge potential in electric charging infrastructure with the latest available technology that can charge an EV in 5 to 10 minutes, but it is expensive. However, it has already floated a tender for AC (alternate Current) and DC (Direct Current) electric vehicle chargers. These DC chargers can fully charge an EV in 45 to 60 minutes, while the AC charger takes 6 to 7 hours.

In its first tender for procuring 10,000 EVs worth Rs 1,120 crore, Tata Motors emerged as the lowest bidder with a price of Rs 11.2 lakh (inclusive of GST) and with a comprehensive 5-year warranty for its electric Tigor sedan. This is claimed to be 25 percent below the current retail price of a 'similar electric car with 3-year warranty'. 

Earlier today, Mahindra & Mahindra handed the first batch of 20 e-Veritos to EESL. The company is committed to supply 150 units of its eVerito.