Electric Bus Deliveries to BEST Lag Behind Schedule: Only 536 Supplied in 3 Years

Key Highlights:

• Only 536 e-buses were delivered out of the 2,100 promised by May 2023.

• Olectra blames the delay on BYD’s battery chassis supply issues.

• BEST fleet shrinks from 4,500 to 2,800 buses in 10 years.

• Over 30 lakh daily passengers are affected by fewer buses.

• A ₹20,000 penalty per undelivered bus was imposed on the contractor.

Mumbai's ambitious electric bus project is running far behind schedule. Out of the 2,100 electric buses that were expected to be delivered by May 2023, only 536 have been handed over to Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) in the past three years.

Olectra Greentech Blames Supply Chain Issues

Olectra Greentech, through its subsidiary EveyTrans Pvt Ltd, was contracted to supply the buses under the wet lease model. The company cited supply disruptions from its technology partner, BYD, especially in delivering battery-fitted chassis, as the main reason for the delay.

“Till now, 536 buses delivered to BEST,” the company told PTI, acknowledging the delays and assuring that steps are being taken to ramp up production and resolve supply issues. Olectra also noted that a legal battle contributed to the postponement of its delivery schedule.

Delivery Timeline Missed

According to the May 2022 agreement, the delivery plan was:

• 25% of the buses within 6 months

• Another 25% in 9 months

• Remaining 50% by 12 months (i.e., by May 2023)

However, as of March 2025, only 455 twelve-meter-long buses have been supplied, totaling just over 530 units. BEST has issued 27 notices to the company, including one as recently as March 24, 2025. Delays are expected to attract a penalty of ₹20,000 per undelivered bus.

BEST Forced to Scale Down Services

Due to these delays, BEST has had to operate with a reduced fleet. Mumbai, a city that depends heavily on its public transport system, is feeling the pressure. The total BEST fleet has shrunk from 4,500 buses a decade ago to around 2,800 today.

BEST buses are vital for last-mile connectivity in Mumbai, serving over 30 lakh passengers daily. However, the reduced fleet has led to longer wait times and overcrowding on buses.

New Contract Despite Delays

Surprisingly, despite falling short on the current delivery timeline, Olectra Greentech was awarded another contract in April 2024 to supply 2,400 additional electric buses. The new deadline to deliver the initial 2,100 buses is now proposed for August 2025.

In the meantime, Olectra claims to have ramped up its production capacity by introducing new assembly lines. It also stated that the 536 delivered buses are capable of running up to 200 km on a single charge, significantly above the national average.

Mumbai's E-Bus Numbers Still Low

Currently, Mumbai has a little over 950 electric buses in operation. This includes:

• 50 double-decker buses from Switch Mobility

• 340 from Tata Motors

• 20 from BEST

• The rest from Olectra

According to international transport standards, there should be 60 buses per lakh population. However, Mumbai's average is much lower, with just 0.4 buses per 2,000 people.

Transport expert Suvedh Jaywant, a PhD scholar from McGill University, stated, “BEST’s target is to have 10,000 buses with 100% electrification. They ordered 5,330 electric buses over the last five years but have received only 966 to date.”

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CMV360 Says

While BEST’s move towards an electric fleet is commendable, the delay in bus deliveries is affecting the city’s public transport efficiency. With a growing population and rising daily commuters, experts stress the urgent need for faster deliveries to meet Mumbai's mobility demands.