Assessing the viability of electric buses: a case of Bhopal

Abstract

Urbanization,increase in pericapita income, lackiof reliable publicitransport services, etc., are someiof the importantifactors that haveiinfluenced the rapidimotorization rates. The National UrbaniTransport Policy, 2006, emphasizedithe need toiprioritize the developmentiof public transport inivarious urban areasito reduce motorizationirates and promoteisustainable transport. Rapid motorizationihas led inian increaseiin vehicleiownership, as well as a decline inipublic transportation usage, a rise in traffic accidents, an increase in fuel consumption, and an increase in air pollution. Currently, a large portion of the transport demand is met by private vehicles. If public transit does not meet a larger proportion of this transportation demand, crude oil demand and CO2 emissionsiwill reach unsustainable levels. Increased emphasision public transportation will undoubtedly haveia good influence, butithis willibe restricted unlessipublic transportation vehicles switch from diesel to electric power. Any move toward public transportation would be most effective if it was accompanied by a change to alternative technology, such as electric vehicles Theishift to electricibuses by stateitransport undertakingsicombined withithe adoption ofithe Avoid-Shift-Improve (ASI)iframework wouldihave a multiplierieffect. The implementation of the Avoid-Shift-Improve (ASI) framework, together with the shift to electric buses by state transportation agencies, would have a multiplier impact. The outcome of this study is to compare the overall performance of electric buses over diesel buses in terms of operational characteristics, investment, emissions, fuel consumption, and the total cost of ownership. A sensitivityianalysis has beenicarried out to determines how target variable (TCO) is affected based on changes in other variables like capital cost, fuel cost, maintenance cost and financing cost. The study also proposes a phase out plan for replacing the existing fleet with E-Buses, and lastly to acknowledge the E-Bus operations in terms of charging strategies using modelling tools. The study would be helpful for the Bhopal bus transport authority (Bhopal City Link Limited) in implementing electric buses on five selected intra-city routes, along with its operational characteristics. The study provides a fleet replacement plan of how the existing diesel buses would be replaced by electric buses for the next ten years (upto year 2032). It also provides detail charging strategy including daily energy demand, battery capacity, charger rating, number of charger required, charging time, total energy demand, and power demand required for the selected routes. The study could be further extended and can be used as a part of electric mobility plan for Bhopal