Bus manufacturer Veera Vahana and Exponent Energy, an energy-tech company, unveiled on August 29 the ‘Veera Mahasamrat EV’ — a long-haul intercity electric bus featuring advanced rapid charging technology. Their joint statement said Veera Mahasamrat EV features Exponent Energy’s 320 kWh battery pack and leverages their 1-MW charging network, enabling the bus to achieve a virtually unlimited range with just 15 minutes of rapid charging.
It also comes with a battery warranty of 600,000 kilometers or 3,000 life cycles, the joint release stated.
Veera Mahasamrat EV is expected to offer a 30 percent reduction in operating costs compared to traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) buses. The two companies are currently concentrating on electrifying the Bengaluru-Hyderabad route. To support this, they said Exponent Energy will install 1 MW charging stations along the Bengaluru-Hyderabad route —two at each end and two along the highway.
K Srinivas Reddy, Managing Director of Veera Vahana, highlighted that electric buses have traditionally been limited to short-haul or intracity use due to range and charging time constraints. He emphasized that the new Veera Mahasamrat EV addresses these issues by offering rapid 15-minute charging, similar to the refueling experience of diesel buses, making it easier for operators to switch to electric and reduce operational costs.
Reddy, emphasizing the impact of this advancement, said, “Today, electric buses are restricted to short-haul or intracity operations due to limited range and long charging time. It’s difficult to package a single battery to deliver 600km of range and with long charging time – customers are not willing to wait for an hour along the highway. Typically, diesel buses stop every 300 km for 15-20 minutes and our unique partnership with Exponent mimics the
same experience. Now, bus operators can seamlessly switch to electric with the Veera Mahasamrat EV and save more in their operations!”
Arun Vinayak, Co-founder & CEO of Exponent Energy, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, noting the achievement of developing the world’s third 1-MW charging technology in India. He stressed that the rapid 15-minute charging and extensive network will facilitate the widespread adoption of electric buses, transforming long-haul intercity travel.
“We’re excited to partner with Veera Vahana, a seasoned player in the bus industry, to truly electrify the long-haul intercity bus segment. We’re thrilled to have built the world’s third 1 MW charging technology – after Tesla & Siemens – in India, for India. With freedom & accessibility delivered by 15-minute rapid charging and the Exponent network, we’re committed to enabling all of India to go electric,” Vinayak said.
