Boost To Electric Mobility: State-Owned EESL To Buy 250 EVs From Tata Motors, Hyundai Motor India For Government Use

State-owned Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) on Thursday (3 September) said that it will procure 250 electric vehicles (EVs) from Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor India.

The companies were selected through an international competitive bidding process, which was aimed at increased participation, said a Power Ministry statement.

The tenders stipulates Tata Motors to supply 150 Nexon XZ+ electric compact SUVs and Hyundai Motor India to provide 100 units of Kona electric Premium SUVs for the government use.

As per the Power Ministry statement, this procurement will utilise $5 million from the recent grant provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

EESL has received financing from ADB towards the cost of scaling up and financing high priority areas like 'Demand Side Energy Efficiency Sector Projects'.

"A shift to EVs, facilitated by our e-mobility programme, will reduce dependence on oil imports and promote power capacity addition in India," said Saurabh Kumar, Executive Vice Chairperson, EESL.

"This will greatly enhance the energy security of the country and will also lead to reduction in GHG emissions from the transport sector. Furthermore, we're also working on rapid establishment of EV charging stations, which will give a fillip to the electric vehicle sales, going forward," Kumar added.

According to the statement, EESL will procure Tata Nexon at Rs 14.86 lakh each, Rs 13,000 cheaper than its ex-showroom price of Rs 14.99 lakh, whereas, Hyundai Kona, which offers a higher range, will be procured at an 11 per cent lower price band of Rs 21.36 lakh and with a standard three-year warranty.

"These electric vehicles will replace the existing fleet of petrol and diesel vehicles of the Central and state governments," the statement said.

"EESL has already received an order for 300 long range EVs from the Agency for Non-Conventional Energy and Rural Technology (ANERT), Kerala, to be supplied in the initial phase," it said.

(With inputs from IANS)