The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) has signed an agreement with PMI Electro Mobility Solutions to add 250 electric buses to Mumbai’s public transport fleet. The Delhi-based company will deliver the 12-meter-long buses in phases over the next three months. This marks PMI’s first collaboration with BEST for electric buses in Mumbai.
The initiative supports the Central Government’s PM E-Drive program, which allocates 40% of its INR 10,900-crore budget to public transport by the fiscal year 2026. The new buses will operate under a wet-lease model. Under this arrangement, PMI will own the buses while BEST will manage their operations.
Olectra, another electric vehicle manufacturer, has also signed a contract with BEST for 2,400 buses. These additional buses will address the ongoing bus shortages that have caused temporary route closures.
PMI’s buses can fully charge in 30-40 minutes and cover a distance of up to 180 kilometres on a single charge. The company has previously operated buses for Nagpur’s public transport and is now expanding into Mumbai.
BEST has signed several contracts with other operators to grow its fleet. These include 700 double-decker buses from Causis Company, 200 CNG buses from Mateshwari Company, 2,100 electric buses from Olectra, and 200 double-decker electric buses from Switch Mobility.
Currently, 1,836 of BEST’s 2,940 buses are run by contractors. BEST’s owned fleet has been steadily declining, leading to greater reliance on contractors. The undertaking is trying to improve service availability and meet growing public transit demands through these contracts. The new buses are expected to provide more efficient operations.
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