Himachal Pradesh opts for e-mobility, buys 50 Mahindra eSupro vans

Himachal Pradesh, which is nestled in the lap of nature and is one of the most popular and easily accessible hill states of India, is actively pushing its eco-friendly transport program. The state has booked 50 Mahindra electric Supro passenger vans to be used by the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) for public transporation. The first batch of eSupros was flagged off earlier today.

This is a first-of-its-kind public transport initiative by any state to deploy EVs on multiple intra-city routes. The eSupro is an 8-seater electric van that can travel 112km on full charge, with a top speed of 60kph.

Gurmukh Singh Bali, minister for Transport, Food, Civil Supplies, Consumer Affairs & Technical Education, government of Himachal Pradesh, said, “We are delighted to take the first step towards creating an all-electric ecosystem in the public transportation space. It is indeed a big leap towards electrification of our conventional mobility offerings. We will develop many such smart transportation and mobility solutions for public and private transportation, including last-mile connectivity.”

Commenting on the initiative, Mahesh Babu, CEO, Mahindra Electric, said, “We are grateful to the government of Himachal Pradesh for its support towards sustainable mobility solutions, which will go a long way in boosting the usage of EVs in India. Going forward, we will also explore possibilities to introduce the personal range of EVs such as the e2oPlus hatchback and the eVerito sedan (in Himachal Pradesh). I am sure that this model of electrification will be replicated by multiple states across the country.”