Eicher rolls out smart electric bus with Revolo tech

About a month and a half after Autocar Professional revealed VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV) having readied a 9m electric bus and planning a commercial launch soon, news has come in of Eicher Trucks & Buses, part of VECV today introducing zero emission smart electric buses, marking its entry in the growing electric bus segment in India.

In this development, VE Commercial Vehicles will integrate KPIT Technologies’ indigenously developed electrification technology, ‘Revolo’, on its Skyline Pro bus platform. 

Manufactured at VECV’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, the company says the Eicher Skyline Pro buses are the most advanced in safety, comfort and efficiency.

Revolo is an innovative versatile technology that can be applied to a large range of buses and other vehicle designs. It has been designed by KPIT, the global technology company working in automotive and mobility solutions. Revolo has a unique architecture which allows it to operate on a lower voltage. It also does significant regeneration to have the maximum possible range with the smallest possible battery.   The system is modular and designed for Indian conditions.

With the electrification technology and the buses being developed in India, these vehicles truly embody the ‘Made in India, for India’ promise.

Commenting on this milestone development, Vinod Aggarwal, MD and CEO, VE Commercial Vehicles said, “The country is at the cusp of a new revolution in transportation, and it is our endeavor to provide India with the best mobility solutions. Together with KPIT Technologies Ltd., we bring our core competencies of a strong bus platform and indigenous technology to build the right products for the market. This further reinforces commitment to usher in modernization in the CV industry. The Smart Electric Skyline Pro E buses are certified to ply on Indian roads and we are confident they will bring great value to commuters, city transportation corporations and other organizations in this ecosystem. Our pan India network of dealerships and service stations will provide all the necessary service support and maintenance for operating these electric buses efficiently”

He further said, “The shift to electric vehicle technology is opening up a number of opportunities for the economy. It is a viable solution to India’s depleting air quality and increasing dependencies on traditional fuel resources. Along with the supporting policy framework, it will bring in positive implications across environment, social and economic parameters.”

Kishor Patil, managing director (MD), CEO and co- founder, KPIT Technologies, said, "We are very happy to partner with Eicher Trucks & Buses, the leading bus manufacturer in India. This partnership reinforces KPIT’s commitment to create sustainable technologies that have a positive impact on our environment. Using our home-grown technology, this electric bus segment will usher in a new era of clean urban mobility.

We at KPIT believe that urban mobility needs to be smart, safe and sustainable and all three of these components are equally necessary. The introduction of the Skyline Pro E bus is a big step in this direction.”