The Government of India is preparing to float a fresh tender for around 3,000 electric buses by June, in a continued effort to accelerate the transition towards clean and sustainable public transport systems.
The upcoming tender will be issued under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme, which aims to support the deployment of 10,000 electric buses across cities, particularly targeting tier-2 and tier-3 urban centres.
This development comes shortly after the conclusion of the country’s largest e-bus tender for over 10,000 buses, indicating a sustained and aggressive push by the government to scale up electric public mobility. With the new tender, the total number of electric buses tendered in the past year could reach nearly 20,000 units, reflecting the rapid expansion of the segment.
The tendering process is being coordinated by Convergence Energy Services Limited, a government-backed entity responsible for aggregating demand and conducting large-scale procurement of electric buses. Officials have indicated that the final number of buses may vary slightly, potentially ranging between 3,000 and 3,700 units, depending on approvals from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
The initiative is part of a broader strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, especially in the backdrop of global oil supply uncertainties, while also addressing urban air pollution and carbon emissions. Electric buses are being prioritised within India’s EV policy framework, as the focus gradually shifts from smaller EVs to public transport electrification and fleet-based mobility solutions.
In parallel, the government has already supported thousands of e-buses under earlier schemes such as FAME-II Scheme and the PM e-Drive programme, which together aim to incentivise electric mobility and build supporting infrastructure.
Once implemented, the new tender is expected to further strengthen India’s electric bus ecosystem, boost domestic manufacturing, and enhance the availability of clean, efficient, and cost-effective public transport solutions across urban centres.
