Ashok Leyland partners ABB Power Products for electric bus development

Hinduja Group flagship firm Ashok Leyland and ABB Power Products and Systems India on Thursday announced a partnership for co-operation in public electric mobility space with plans to develop electric bus that can be charged within seconds.

The partnership aims to expand eco-system for efficient and greener electric bus transportation systems in India, the companies said in a statement.

The partners aim to develop a pilot electric bus based on ABB's innovative flash-charge technology, TOSA, which tops up the battery in just seconds while passengers get on and off the bus.

"This avoids the need to take the vehicle out of service for recharging every few hours or having a replacement bus ready, thus minimising the size of the fleet while increasing passenger carrying capacity," the statement said.

Commenting on the development, ABB Power Products and Systems India Managing Director N Venu said, "We are pushing the boundaries of e-mobility with our flash-charging technology TOSA for buses to contribute to a cleaner, greener, and sustainable future."