Ashok Leyland unveils India's first indigenous electric bus

Ashok Leyland Ltd on 17 October 2016 unveiled its Circuit Series electric bus. They are India’s first such indigenously made vehicle. The buses are designed and engineered in India. They are specifically developed for Indian road conditions. The zero-emission vehicle will be offered on multiple platforms and enjoys a subsidy under the government’s Faster Adoption and Manufacturing

of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme. It can travel 150 km on a single charge.

About FAME-India scheme

• The Union Government had launched Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric vehicles (FAME) – India Scheme on 1 April 2015.

• The scheme was launched with an aim to boost sales of eco-friendly vehicles in the country. It is a part of the National Mission for Electric Mobility.

• The scheme envisages providing 795 crore rupees support till 2020 for the manufacturing and sale of electric and hybrid vehicles.

About Ashok Leyland

• Ashok Leyland is an Indian automobile manufacturing company headquartered in Chennai, India.

• It was founded in 1948.

• It is the 2nd largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in India, 4th largest manufacturer of buses in the world and 16th largest manufacturer of trucks globally.

• It is the second largest commercial vehicle company in India in the medium and heavy commercial vehicle segment.