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Vol-7, No.83, November-2016

THE ONLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO BUS COACH INDUSTRY & COACH TOURISM

Navya Arma ‘driverless’ for next generation

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NOVEMBER : 2016BUS COACH INDIA02

42 53 60

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News & Events ............................................................................................................................................................................... 06

Ashok Leyland launches first electric bus Circuit ................................................................................................................ 1 2

Eberspaecher Suetrak presents efficient AC systems for electric buses ...................................................................... 1 9

Ustra expanding its hannover fleet with 10 additional hybrid buses ................................................................................ 22

Powertrain technologies for better automotive future ....................................................................................................... 24

Indian auto industry to hold its first expo in Bangladesh .................................................................................................... 27

Rohtang sees its trial of electric buses .................................................................................................................................. 28

Busworld India will open its doors from 10 to 12 November 2016 in Bangalore ............................................................. 29

ABB to electrify Indian Buses .................................................................................................................................................... 3 1

Navya Arma 'driverless' for next generation ........................................................................................................................ 32

ABB electric buses can solve India's pollution problem ..................................................................................................... 36

Apollo Tyres appoints Daniele Lorenzetti as Chief Technology Officer ............................................................................ 41

Electric Bus trial in national capital ......................................................................................................................................... 42

Travelling with the floating technology .................................................................................................................................... 46

Henkel expands capabilities of Pune innovation centre with two labs .............................................................................. 51

Fiem Industries signs TA with Japanese firm ........................................................................................................................ 52

Bridgestone tyres is betting big on India for tyres .............................................................................................................. 53

Continental India Launches locally made passenger radials .............................................................................................. 55

Tech-enabled transportation will be imperative to drive India's Smart cities Agenda ................................................ 57

India-all set to revolutionise use of green technology ........................................................................................................ 60

Vol-7, No-83, November-2016

Baldev Singh Bal

Nadeem Inamdar9881098036

Sahil AsherSahil Asher7718903525

(Mumbai)

401, 4th Floor, Suneja Tower-1,

District Centre, Janak Puri, New Delhi-110058

Phone No. 25557680/81, 45588720

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Website: www.buscoachindia.com

Email: [email protected]

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NOVEMBER : 2016 BUS COACH INDIA 05

he transport and mobility sector is going through a lot of changes. An advanced vehicle Tsystem and Hybrid and electric buses, low or

zero emission transport, making the most digital technologies to improve the efficiency of the transport system is consider a major part in achieving sustainability.

Being constantly connected enables real-time trip planning and ticketing as well as combining different transport solutions, such as on-demand services, to deliver seamless door-to-door trip. Cooperative systems and automation improve transport safety and efficiency as well as increase travel time productivity. Similarly, data from connected vehicles and digital infrastructure improves the situational picture and can be used in traffic management.

A key opportunity arising from digitalization relates to multi-modality and interoperability across service providers and modes of transport. Public transportation is the cornerstone of moving large masses of people in urban areas. Easy-to-use information and ticketing services that combine public and private transportation services into door-to-door packages are an important step towards having a feasible alternative for a private car. While matching the convenience of a car or replacing its need completely may be unrealistic, availability of smart mobility services in urban areas can go a long way..

It is evident that the emerging digital technologies and services will influence future transport in cities, but little is yet known on their wider implications. Impacts can occur on a large-scale – ranging from individual savings in time or money to societal benefits in the form of improved health due to less pollution and wider use of walking and cycling. Evaluation and assessment of emerging alternatives and their impacts is of great importance to support decision-making and achieving highest impacts cost efficiently.

While automated driving can significantly cut operating costs of buses by being driverless, it brings up questions like how people less proficient in the use of technology learn to use on-demand services or how mobility challenged persons who may require assistance can rely on robot cars. Thus the travelers, as users of these new services, play a central part in the changes of the transport sector. Users need to be both able and motivated to use the services – using needs to be easy, benefits should be apparent for the traveler and concerns such as privacy issues must be addressed. Without user acceptance no service will be used. It is therefore crucial to take into account the needs, abilities and opinions of different travelers and win their trust.

Whatever the future transport system and mobility options in urban areas may look like, making the right choices with urban planning and transport system design is central for ensuring accessibility, sustainability and reliability.

HPCL LAUNCHES ENGINE OILS FOR TATA MOTORS VEHICLES

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has launched a high performance range of HP Tata MotorsGenuine Oil (HP TMGO), exclusively developed for Tata Motors passenger vehicles in the Indian market.

Speaking at the launch of new lubricant on Wednesday, Rajnish Mehta, executive director - direct sales, HPCL, said, “It has been our privilege to associate with Tata Motors, a trusted name in the Indian motor industry over several decades. HP Lubricants being the largest lube marketer of India looks to further consolidate its long standing relationship with Tata Motors in the coming years to offer our products meeting the requirements of emerging technologies.”

The HP TMGO range includes engine oils, gear oils, steering and transmission fluids, coolants, brake fluids and greases. Dinesh Bhasin, head, customer support, passenger vehicle business unit, Tata Motors, commented, “At Tata Motors, we believe in providing the best post-purchase experience to our customers.

We are happy to have partnered with HPCL to develop a special range of high performance oils for our passenger vehicles range of products. Available across the country, these lubricants will ensure delightful performance of the vehicles for a longer span. With a commitment to deliver better performance, HPCL will offer trusted support to our customers and will further enhance customer

experience.” The HP TMGO has been formulated and blended from high quality base oils and additives, providing an enhanced engine performance through excellent deposit control and wear protection. Developed as per the regulations and specifications required for the international passenger vehicles market, these lubricants will be made available through HPCL's retail and bazaar network and Tata Motors service stations across India.

DTC LACKS SUFFICIENT BUSES

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC), which is struggling to augment its fleet, will soon be left with only 3,775 buses. The number is alarming low considering the city needs 11,000 buses as per a government affidavit submitted to the court. A seperate cluster bus system runs around 1,500 buses.

At present, the state bus agency has 4,150 buses, of which 300-400 are standard-floor buses that are headed for scrap. Over the next couple of months, these will be retired from service, leaving DTC with only 3,775 buses. These are the low-floor buses acquired by DTC way back in 2010, the last time that the transport agency went in for fleet augmentation on a large scale. There were 3,781 low-floor buses earlier in the year but some have been lost to accidents or incidents like fire. The number stands at 3,775, of which 2,500 are non AC buses.

The Delhi government had promised to add 3,000 buses. A thousand buses were to be added to the

DTC fleet, while another thousand was to be added to the cluster system. The rest was to come from a “premium” bus category that was to be launched in 2016. Almost a year later, only 100 buses have been added to the cluster system.

DTC's full fleet strength, which was 4,461 in January this year, is now making do with 4,150 buses, which will be down to 3,775 buses by the end of the year. What makes the situation critical is the fact that on any given day, the actual number of buses on the roads is much less than the full fleet strength, as 10-15% of the fleet is u sua l ly unava i l ab le due to maintenance and other issues. Meanwhile, the state transport utility is losing its fleet to age. The fleet strength has been going down every month as the old standard floor buses are scrapped. In 2015 alone, 2,100 buses were sent to the junk-yard. DTC claims to have a ridership of 3.500.000 passengers per day.

ASHOK LEYLAND UNVEILS LOCA-LLY MANUFACTURED ELECTRIC BUS

Indian commercial vehicle manu-facturer Ashok Leyland has unveiled country's first 100 percent electric bus Circuit, designed and engineered entirely in India.

This zero emission range of vehicles will be offered on multiple platforms. Ambuj Sharma, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu, said, "India's first ever fully electric bus, developed for India and made in India, is a big leap in mass


Limited (Henkel India), he will continue in his existing role of business director for transportation & metal adhesives SBU in the India, Middle East, Africa (IMEA) region. Based at Henkel India's head office at Navi Mumbai, Kumar will be responsible for leading Henkel's businesses in India through its next growth phase.

Kumar started his journey with Henkel in 2011 as business director of the transportation and metal SBU in India. He also spearheaded the India Innovation Center - Pune project for Henkel. The center was commissioned in October 2013 and has since contributed significantly to the success of Henkel's adhesives business in India. He was promoted as business director of transportation and metal SBU in the then newly created region of India, Middle East and Africa (IMEA) in April 2013 and has since successfully led the profitable growth of that business. He relocated to the IMEA regional HQ in Dubai in January 2015.

Commenting on his new role, Shilip Kumar, said, “I am pleased to take up the additional responsibility as president of Henkel India. India offers considerable growth potential for Henkel and it will be our endeavour to ensure that we utilise effectively the resources and investments made by our parent company to capitalise on this potential. Our focus remains on delivering innovative technologies and solutions that help create value for our customers in the country.”

Shilip Kumar started his career in 1989 with the Management Consultancy Division of A.F. Fergusson & Co, followed by stints with Asian Paints and Rohm & Haas. His most recent assignment prior to joining Henkel was with Dow Chemicals as the business director for Dow Coating Materials in South Asia.

Henkel operates worldwide with leading brands and technologies

in three business units - laundry & home care, beauty care and adhesive technologies. The company, which owns brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite in the consumer as well as the industrial sectors, reported global sales of Euro 18.1 billion in fiscal 2015.

HESS ELECTRIC BUS MAY COME TO NEW DELHI

Hybrid technology represents an optimal fusion between an electric drive system and an internal combustion engine, offering clear benefits such as lower fuel consumption, high energy efficiency through recovery of braking energy and less pollution in inner cities and especially at bus stops due to zero emissions. The vehicle's outstanding operating characteristics are another advantage, especially in combination with 2-axle drive.

HESS hybrid buses use a serial hybrid system that functions ideally in urban areas. Buses using a serial hybrid system have huge benefits especially in inner cities where the potential fuel savings are higher due to the extensive stop-and-go driving.

HESS is a pioneer in the world of hybrid drive systems. The fact that we are the first manufacturer in the world to launch a double-articulated bus with hybrid drive, attests to our leadership in this promising sector too.

The environment rides for free. Our focus on reliable and sustainable mobility is the main reason that HESS buses are so popular around the globe. HESS prefers lightweight, recyclable materials and low-emission drive

public transport and we are glad that Ashok Leyland has been able to deliver this.”

Vinod K Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland, said, "In April 2015, at FAME Delhi Workshop, we had committed to vehicles with full electric power trains by January 2017. I am happy to dedicate the first vehicle in this new Circuit series, ahead of schedule.”

"Integrated with a fire detection and suppression system (FDSS), this truly Indian innovation can travel 120 kilometers on a single charge. It is built on a simple, mass-market platform that will enable the operator to cater to customers in city centres with minimal operational and maintenance costs, said T. Venkataraman, Sr. Vice President - Global Bus.

HENKEL INDIA APPOINTS SHILIP KUMAR AS PRESIDENT

German adhesives major Henkel has appointed Shilip Kumar as the president of its India business, effective June 1, 2016. Kumar succeeds Jeremy Hunter, who led the India business for over five years, and has now moved to Shanghai as president - Henkel China.

Besides, steering the adhesives and beauty care businesses of Henkel Adhesives Technologies India Private


systems. It's a fact: HESS precision technology – made in Switzerland – is the ideal basis for ecological sustainability.

KENWOOD LAUNCHES NEW VEHICLE AUDIO SYSTEM IN INDIA

Japanese car electronics manufacturer Kenwood has launched new premium luxury multimedia audio model DDX9016S in India, at a price of Rs 64,990. The DDX9016S multimedia receiver has been designed to improve driving so that users do not need to use their phone while driving. This double DIN system has a 7-inch High Definition Touch Panel.

This model is equipped features such as Air Mirroring, Android Auto (for android phone users), Apple Car Play (for iPhone users), alongside a built in DVD,USB, Aux-in, FM Player. Air Mirroring helps streaming content from the mobile device and displaying it wirelessly on the multimedia screen.

The Android Auto feature enables users to access the existing android apps on the multimedia screen. Additional features include Dual camera where the user can access both front and back camera simultaneously while driving. DDX9016S also has a dual phone hands free compatibility that lets two users pair their respective phones simultaneously. "Over the last few years, advancement in automotive electronics and wireless technologies combined with changing lifestyle has made a profound impact in consumer preference from a basic driving experience to latest infotainment solutions. The DDX9016S offers the

latest wireless connectivity, user friendly interface, the ability to play a variety of media files and access to the most up-to-date information and entertainment on-the-go," said Dhiraj Chawla, AGM Sales, Nippon Audiotronix which has the exclusive distribution rights for Kenwood Products in India.

SIKA OPENS FACILITY FOR ADHESIVES AND ACOUSTIC PRODUCTS IN BRAZIL

Swiss specialty chemicals major Sika has opened a new manufacturing facility for adhesives and acoustic products in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to tap the automotive sector in Latin America. At present, more than 25 million vehicles produced worldwide are made stronger and safer with the company's structural adhesives, while its acoustic systems reduce interior noise by more than 30 percent.

The new factory in Sao Paolo, with its adjoining technology centre, will manufacture adhesives and a wide range of acoustic products for the automotive market in Latin America. The high-performance technologies are used in various applications, including acoustic and sealing applications, to reduce the noise level in cars, or to structurally bond vehicle body shells. Bonding technology has huge advantages over welding and helps the automotive industry respond to current trends in modern vehicle construction, such as crash resistance, lightweight construction and mixed material design.

Dave Jones, head of global automotive at Sika, commented, “Following the successful acquisition of Colauto in 2011, we remain strongly committed to the region's automotive

industry and are investing further in the expansion of our product portfolio and production capacities. As the market leader, we are devoted to locally serve our customers and offer them our full range of innovative products. We are proud to be able to provide our global product range in Brazil to international car makers such as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, General Motors, Volkswagen and Toyota.”

T H E B U S S E R V I C E S W E R E SUSPENDED DUE TO THE VIOLENCE OVER CAUVERY WATER

Nearly a month after they were suspended due to violence over Cauvery water, bus services between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka resumed on the 6th, October,2016, Thursday morning. The resumption of bus and lorry services comes after Karnataka earlier this week started releasing water from Cauvery river to Tamil Nadu as directed by the Supreme Court. Inter-state buses were suspended in September after Bengaluru saw violence following Supreme Court's ruling that Karnataka release water from Cauvery to its neighboring state.

Scores of buses from Tamil Nadu were torched in Bengaluru on September 12 in protest against the top court's order. Over the last several weeks, people from both states walked around 3 kilometres due to lack of public transport. A senior police officer in Tamil Nadu said, "Situation is normal now. We are monitoring. No individual security is provided to buses.”

Tamil Nadu had moved the Supreme Court for direction to release its share of Cauvery waters as


formulated by the Cauvery Tribunal. Though Karnataka released 15,000 cusecs and 12,000 cusecs of water as directed by the top court, later it defied court directions, armed with an assembly resolution against water release. The state had claimed it had adequate waters only for drinking requirements.

The court had last week asked the centre to set up a Cauvery Water Management Board whose experts were to travel to both states to assess their needs. The centre yesterday said it cannot create this board and needs the authorisation of parliament to set up the new committee. When asked why it did not disclose this earlier, the centre said "it was a mistake.”

Tamil Nadu wants the board to be created. Karnataka does not - it is concerned about its reservoirs (four on the River Cauvery) being exposed to experts who could disagree from its assessment and declarations of its need for water resources.

Tamil Nadu has derided the centre for claiming it cannot set up the board, and has accused it of siding with Karnataka because it hopes to displace the Congress government there in the next state election, which is due soon.

VOLVO AND ABB DEVELOP CHARGING STATION BASED ON OPPCHARGE

Volvo Buses and ABB have inaugurated a charging station for electric buses based on the open OppCharge interface. With OppCharge, electrified buses and charging stations from

different manufacturers can be used together. The aim is to facilitate the introduction of electric bus systems in cities the world over. This is ABB's first charging station for electric buses in Sweden.

It is installed outside Volvo's electric bus terminal in Arendal, Gothenburg and is a joint reference project between ABB and Volvo Buses. The aim of this cooperative venture is to cooperate on the development and commercialisation of electric buses and electric hybrid buses equipped with systems for DC opportunity charging using open standards. Demonstrations of buses and charging stations both as products and systems offer a clear picture of what installation at the customer's premises looks like.

With the new charging station, Volvo is demonstrating that the company's electric buses are compatible with chargers from several different manufacturers. The buses operating on route 55 are now charged using systems delivered by ABB and Siemens.

Last spring, Volvo along with several other bus and infrastructure manufacturers took the initiative to create an open, standardised interface between charging equipment and vehicles. Volvo Buses has delivered till now more than 2800 electric hybrids and electric buses to 21 countries the world over.

OppCharge is an open interface between the charging equipment and vehicle, offering a 150 kW and 300 kW charge. All moving parts integrated into the charging pylon. A 3-6 minute charge is sufficient for 30 minutes of driving. Conductive static charge tages place via a pantograph with communication between bus and charging station via WiFi. The bus has roof-mounted contact rails that can handle all weather conditions from -25 C to +45 C.

WORLD RECORD FOR DRIVERLESS MINIBUS SERVICE IN FRANCE

Two electric minibuses with a capacity of 15 passengers each are now operating a 10-minute route with five stops in the French city of Lyon at an average speed of 6 miles per hour, thus setting the world record for being the world's first driverless bus service, according to the World Record Academy.

The two electric vehicles, fitted with high-tech equipment including laser sensors, stereo vision and GPS, can ferry around 15 passengers at a top speed of 12 mph. Manufactured by the French firm Navya and costing $225,000 apiece, a prototype was tested in 2013. The vehicles have been tested without passengers in other French cities and in Switzerland, and a trial is under way in Dubai, using a bus developed with the help of a French company.

The buses are not capable of maneuvering around other traffic and the routes are near a tramway where other vehicles are not allowed. Each minibus is equipped with lasers, cameras and electronic systems that detect and analyze any movement around it. Navya has taken about 30 orders for the vehicles and plans to develop larger buses able to carry 20 passengers.

ZF STEERING GEAR TO INVEST RS 150 CRORES FOR NEW PLANT

ZF Steering Gear India Ltd, the provider of steering gear systems to automotive


industry, is planning an investment of Rs 150 crore to set up a greenfield project at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh. The company has already secured a plot on lease for the project, which is expected to start production by 2018.

“With a view to expand the installed capacity and to have geographical advantage, the company has decided to set-up a new manufacturing unit at Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh. The company has already taken possession of the leased plot and is working on its factory building and ordering of the machinery. The plant is expected to commence production in about 18 months from now,” said Dinesh Munot, chairman and managing director, ZFSteering Gear India Ltd, while delivering a speech at the company's annual general meeting (AGM) on September 28, 2016.

With the sales of automotive showing study growth, the company expects the demand for auto components to pick up. “The Indian Government is formulating the 'scrapping policy' to mandatorily phase out all trucks and buses over 15-years old, in order to address the issue of air-pollution and safety. The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) is developing standards on how 'end of life' vehicles need to be scrapped. All these initiatives augur well for the economy, and in particular for commercial vehicle industry. Some

slowdown seen in the demand for commercial vehicles over the past couple of months appears to be temporary phenomena and we expect the medium & heavy commercial vehicle market, this year, to grow by at least 10 per cent,” Munot added.

DAIMLER BUSES RELYING ON INTELLIGENT STEERING SYSTEMS

Daimler Buses is cutting buses' fuel consumption thanks to electro hydraulic power steering (EHPS). The fully integrated system replaces the conventional power steering pumps used nowadays in all buses with a gross weight of over 7.5 t. Thanks to the demand-based actuation of the electric power steering pump, which had previously been powered by the combustion engine, steering assist can in future be used regardless of the engine speed.

As a result of the conveniently positioned component in the vehicle, the unit, consisting of a three-phase current synchronous motor, control unit, high-performance electrical system and hydraulic pump in a single housing, enables simple visual inspections of the power steering fluid reservoir and its fill level. Short hydraulic pipes also make sure system-based friction loss is significantly reduced within the hydraulic circuit. The intelligent control system converts vehicle data to a demand-based actuation of the electrically operated 24 V pump – consequently, it provides the right amount of steering assistance depending on the driving situation. All

in all, this adds up to a significant fuel saving.

The system was developed in collaboration with the Engineering Center Steyr GmbH & Co. KG, based in the Austrian town of St. Valentin, and has already been awarded the “Innovation Label” by the specialist panel of the European Coach Week (ECW) at the international Busworld 2015 specialist trade fair in Kortrijk, Belgium. The plan is to offer the system for Mercedes-Benz Citaro city buses as optional equipment from mid 2017.

DTC To Continue Charging For DND Toll Till 'Orders'

The Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) on said it would continue to charge commuters toll tax for travelling on the Delhi-Noida-Direct Flyway (DND) till it receives an official communique to stop it, following orders of the Allahabad High Court.

"We have not received any official communique to stop charging the toll," said Anuj Sinha, Deputy CGM (Operations), DTC.

His reaction comes after several commuters taking DTC transport to Noida protested on having to pay the toll tax citing the Allahabad High Court judgement.

The conductors on DTC buses said they had not received orders to stop charging the toll. The Allahabad High Court scrapped the collection of toll from commuters on the DND.


shok Leyland Limited, the Chennai-based $2.7 billion bus Aand commercial vehicles

manufacturer and the flagship firm of the Hinduja group has rolled out the Circuit Series - first electric bus made in India at its corporate head office at Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nadu on October 17, 2016.

In line with Ashok Leyland's vision for the future of mass mobility, this fully indeginised Circuit bus is a zero-emission, non-polluting vehicle, specifically made for Indian road and road conditions. This new Circuit range of vehicles is offered on multiple platforms.

While speaking at the launch of Circuit, Ambuj Sharma, Additional Chief Secretry, Industries and Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu and the Chief Guest said: "Today is a very significant day for us as a state and as a country. India's first ever fully electric bus, developed for India and made in India, is a big leap in mass public transport and we are glad that Ashok Leyland has been able to deliver this. This vehicle will support the Government initiative of reducing India's rupees eight lakh crore fuel import bill and is a promise for a brighter and cleaner future of all of us and for our future generations.”

Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland said: "Ashok Leyland Circuit series of buses is another testament to our commitment to leverage India's technological innovation to deliver relevant and best-in-class solutions for India and the world. In April 2015, at FAME Delhi workshop, we had committed to vehicles with full electric power trains by January 2017. I am happy to dedicate the first vehicle in this new Circuit series, ahead of schedule. As a


Ashok Leyland launches


first electric bus Circuit

Mr. T Venkataraman, Sr. Vice President – Global Bus, Shri. Ambuj Sharma, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu, Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland and Dr. Seshu Bhagavathula, Chief Technology Officer - Product Development, Ashok Leyland unveiling the Country's

first Circuit electric bus designed and engineered entirely in India, by Indians, for the Nation.

Mr.Mr. T Venkataraman, Sr. Vice President – Global Bus, Shri. Ambuj Sharma, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary,

Industries and Commerce, Government of Tamil Nadu, Mr.Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland and Dr. Seshu Bhagavathula, Chief Technology Officer - Product Development, Ashok Leyland unveiling the Country's

first Circuit electric bus designed and engineered entirely in India, by Indians, for the Nation.

Jayashankar Menon

world leader in public transport, we can proudly say that we have created a product that will enhance the environment in the cities - this is in keeping with Ashok Leyland's philosophy of 'Aapki Jeet, Hamari Jeet'.”

Speaking to the media at the launch event, T Venkataraman, Senior Vice President - Global Bus said: "Ashok Leyland Circuit series vehicles are all exclusively engineered on India-specific platforms that can tackle varied topography, gradients, and usage conditions. Integrated with fire detection and suppression system (FDSS), this truly Indian innovation can travel 120 kilometers (under standard test conditions) on a single charge. It is built on a simple, mass-market platform that will enable the operator to cater to customers in city centres with minimal operational and maintenance costs.”

Air pollution

India has been contributing significantly to the global economy over the last decade. India, like other countries, is facing a treat to the environment with

increasing pollution levels. A World Health Organisation study shows that ten out of the top twenty most polluted cities in India, losing about 1.2% of our Gross are Domestic Product (GDP) due to air pollution (Source: World Bank 2013).

Made in India

Keeping in mind the burgeoning pollution and with the intention of reducing the fossil fuel dependence, Ashok Leyland has introduced the Circuit series electric bus that has been designed and engineered in India taking into account, its expertise in managing Indian operational conditions and customer specific requirements. These buses are validated, tested and manufactured in India in Ashok Leyland's state-of-the-art plants in line with the Make in India flagship programme of the Government of India.

Made for India

Ashok Leyland Circuit Series - The first electric bus has a driveline motor based power train technology to give consistent uptime and reliability even

in the toughest of Indian weather and road conditions. The bus is exclusively engineered on India specific platforms that can tackle varied topography, gradients and usage conditions. It is built on a simple, mass market platform that will enable the operator to cater to the regular mass commute customers in city centres with minimal operational and maintenance costs and effort. To support the Government initiative of reducing rupees eight lakh crore fuel import bill, Ashok Leyland has launched the zero emission non-polluting bus.

Infrastructure

Ashok Leyland has 576 touch points pan India and over 5000 outlets for Ley parts. This national network will cater to the EV bus platform to ensure assured service and maintenance. What is more, ALL is also offering a suite of onsite service with its 'Tatkaal' programme and customised training modules to drivers and technicians. The bus has a seating capacity of 31 + driver (2x2), operated on Lithium Ion batteries imported from the US. The driveline motor in Circuit bus is


Allison Transmission India Pvt. Ltd.411, Elegance Tower8 District Centre, JasolaNew Delhi-110 025, INDIA

Tel: +91 11 4120 0400Fax: +91 11 4120 0405

[email protected]


coupled to propeller shaft and differential. The vehicle has zero tailpipe emissions and lower noise pollution. The advanced telematics is a major advantage to the operator, besides reduced running cost and regenerative braking. There are many features that are convenient for a passenger such as USB mobile chargers six on each side of the bus, lower than 78 dBA when compared to 85 dBA of conventional diesel vehicles of similar class, onboard WiFi, clutch-less driving and ergonomic and comfortable workplace for the driver.

Dasari said that ALL has developed Circuit Series electric bus indigenously with some additional technology inputs from its UK arm, Optare, which is a dominant player in the electric buses. Stating that depending on the configuration and battery sizes the distance per charge can be extended up to 300 kilometers; Dasari said the cost of the bus varies between Rs.1.5 crore and Rs.3.5 crore, depending on the number of seats required and the battery sizes too. He

said the battery, imported from the US would last five to seven years. He said the local conent in Circuit would be about 30-40%.

Ventataraman told the media that Ashok Leyland is in talks with the Union Government to get subsidy support under Faster Adoption and Manu-facturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME) programme and this would make it attractive for the buyers. Asked about the target segments, he said that ALL would focus on metro circuit, tarmac and city circuits, besides targeting the heritage sites.

Venkatraman said that states such as HP and Maharasthra have been adopting such green vehicles and ALL is in talks with these states. He added that ALL is likely to bag orders in the near future.

Ashok Leyland is the second largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India, the country's largest maker of buses in the world and one of the largest manufacturers of trucks.

Highlights: Seating

capacity for 31 passengers.

Can travel for 120Km on a

single charge.ALL to offer

Circuit series across multiple

platforms.

Headquartered in Chennai, nine manufacturing plants gives an international footprint - seven in ndia, a bus manufacturing facility in Ras Al Kahaimah (UAE) and another one at Leeds, UK. Joint ventures with some of the world's leading firms that includes Nissan Motor Company (Japan) for light commercial vehicles, John Deered (USA) for construction equipment and the Alteams Group for the manufacture of high-press die-casting extruded aluminum components for the automotive and telecommunications sectors, Ashok Leyland has a well-

diversified portfolio across the automobile industry.

Ashok Leyland, with this growth touching $2.7 billion, is one of the most fully-integrated manufacturing companies with a product range from 2.5 tones Gross Vehicle Weight to 49 T GTW in trucks, 16-18-seater buses, vehicles for defence and special applications and diesel engines for industrial genset and marine applications. Over 70 million passengers use Ashok Leyland buses to get to their destinations every day,

while over 700,000 trucks keep the wheels of economies moving. With the largest fleet of logistics vehicles deployed in the Indian Army and significant partnerships with armed forces across the globe, Ashok Leyland helps to keep borders secure.

Pioneers in the commercial vehicle space, many product concepts have become industry benchmarks and norms. Ashok Leyland has ISO/TS 16949 Corporate Certification and is also the first CV maker in the country to receive the OBD-II (on board


diagnostic) certification for BS IV-compliant commercial vehicle engines, Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) and CNG technologies. Driven by innovative products suitable for a wide range of applications and an excellent understanding of the customers and local market conditions, Ashok Leyland has been at the fore-front of the commercial vehicle industry for decades.

Ashok Leyland's wide-spread customer base is served through an all-India sales and service network, supplemented by over 5,000 touch points. With technology-enabled customer engagement processes and knowledge to the specific applications of the product range, ALL sales team are well equipped to fulfill customer's needs. Ashok Leyland manages driver training institutes across India and has trained over 600,000 drivers since inception. On-site training for technicians are provided by Ashok Leyland's service training institutes located in seven locations across India.

Milestones

1966 - Full air brakes

1967 - Double Decker bus.

1969 - For the first time power steering was featured in commercial vehicle.

1976 - The Viking, the first ever bus with an alternator and a unique front overhang that facilitated front entry hit the Indian roads.

1978 - India's first rear engine bus - Cheetah was introduced

1979 - Multi-axle trucks and rear engine buses were introduced

1980 - Integral Bus.

1980 - India's first 13 tonne truck introduced

1992 - Vestibule Bus introduced

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1993 - First Indian automotive company to receive ISO 9002 certification

1995 - India's first driver training facility by a private sector firm was set up at Namakkal, Tamil Nadu.

1997 - India's first CNG Bus launched

2002 - India's first Hybrid Electric Bus introduced

2005 - India's first bust to cross the Indo-Pak border at Wagah, flagged off by the then PM Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Ashok Leyland Stag

2006 - Only commercial vehicle

manufacturer to have an assembly plant at UAE

2010 - India's first CNG Hybrid Plug-in Bus introduced

2012 - World's first front engine fully flat floor bus introduced

2012 - India's first 37-tonne haulage truck with the highest payload launched

2016 - India's first Euro 6 compliant truck introduced

2016 - India's first rollover complaint school bus, Sunshine, with i-alert launched.

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Mr. Vinod K. Dasari, Managing Director, Ashok Leyland Limited

NEWS

Eberspaecher Suetrak


n future, electrical drive concepts will play an increasingly important Irole, particularly in public

transport. With the AC 136 All Electric (AE), Eberspaecher Suetrak has developed a roof-mounted air-conditioning system customized for electric buses.

The performance-optimized system convinces with its efficiency and lightweight construction. 50 kilograms lighter than its predecessor, the AC 136 AE provides a large number of similar components, identical dimensions and is compatible with the complete product family. Furthermore, users have the option of choosing between two performance classes – 20 and 28 kW. These advantages make the AC 136 AE one of the most efficient solutions for electric drive buses.

“At Eberspaecher we are driven by technology, which we are showcasing in this exhibition. The future streetscape will be shaped more and more by electric buses. As a full-service supplier for heating and air-

presents efficient AC systems for electric buses

AC 136 All Electric (AE) – efficient

roof-mounted AC system for electric and hybrid buses.

The Eberspaecher Group is one of the world´s leading system developers and suppliers of exhaust technology, vehicle

heaters and bus air-conditioning systems. Eberspaecher is also a professional innovation partner for the automotive

industry in air conditioning of special-purpose vehicles and in automotive electronics.

NEWS


conditioning in the bus market, we already provide a large portfolio of highly efficient and environmentally friendly electric solutions for various bus categories,” explains Mr. K. P. Singh, Director, Eberspaecher Suetrak, India.

Eberspaecher will introduce the AC 420 and AC 505 to the growing mini and midi bus market within the coming weeks. The compact and

extremely lightweight construction will be introduced to the Indian market with the AC 420. The roof-mounted air-conditioning system is specially customized for mini buses with a power rating of 14 kW.

The new lightweight AC 505 system with its innovative flat-tube heat exchange technology is a roof-mounted AC system for midi buses.

This enables reduced fuel consumption and fewer emissions and makes the air-conditioning system environmentally friendly.Both systems are perfectly suited for tropical climate conditions and hot country applications due to their high quality housing and cover. With its customized systems, Eberspaecher provides perfect air-conditioning solutions for drivers and passengers.

AC 420 – compact and extremely

lightweight roof-mounted AC system

for mini buses.

AC 505 – roof-mounted AC system for midi buses with innovative flat-tube

heat exchange technology.

NEWS

fter eight years and more than 5 million kilometers, üstra AHannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe

AG is growing its fleet of buses equipped with the Allison H 50 EP hybrid system. A total of 10 new Solaris 18H buses will be delivered in 2017, with five in the spring and another five in the fall.

The Allison H 40/50 EP™ systems feature a two-mode split parallel architecture – a pure mechanical path and a pure electric path – to achieve the highest energy efficiency. The technology operates automatically as a series or parallel hybrid, improving fuel consumption by up to 25 percent over a typical bus. Additionally, its regenerative braking capability can significantly

extend the brake change interval by as much as 350 percent.

Since 2008, üstra has grown its fleet to 27 Solaris Urbino 18H buses equipped with the Allison H 50 EP hybrid system. The buses primarily service city lines 121, 123 and 124. These routes are characterized by short distances between stops and low average speeds, circumstances where the benefits of the hybrid buses are most significant.

Allison hybrid systems may also be equipped with a customized electric distribution platform that provides power from the hybrid system to accessory components such as

USTRA EXPANDING ITS HANNOVER FLEETWITH 10 ADDITIONAL HYBRID BUSESEQUIPPED WITH THE ALLSON H50EP


Municipal bus fleets in Barcelona, Spain and Krakow, Poland are also adding more Allison-equipped hybrids

Solaris Urbino 18 articulated

buses are equipped with

the Allison Hybrid H 50 EP hybrid system.

NEWS

electric air conditioning, electric air compressors and electric power steering systems, offering further fuel economy improvements.

In addition to Hannover, more European cities are also expanding their bus fleets equipped with the Allison hybrid system. Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) currently operates 15 Euro 6 Solaris Urbino 18H. With the delivery of 25 additional Allison-equipped Solaris buses by the end of this

year, the aim of the Catalan capital is to operate the cleanest bus fleet in Europe. The fleet of MPK S.A., the municipal public transport company of Krakow, is also expanding its hybrid fleet with 12 new buses by the end of 2016.

Allison Transmission began production of the H 40/50 EP system in 2003. Today, more than 7,800 city buses equipped with the Allison's hybrid system are operating in more than 230 cities worldwide. These

vehicles have already saved an estimated 155 million liters of fuel and avoided more than 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

As the hybrid bus fleet for Hannover, üstra is also renowned for providing service for the IAA Commercial Vehicles fair. Attendees wanting to experience an Allison-equipped hybrid bus can take either line 123 or 124, which are connected to the fair shuttle lines.


After eight years and more than 5 million kilometers, üstra is growing its fleet of buses equipped with

the Allison Hybrid H 50 EP system. A total of 10 new Solaris 18H buses will be delivered in 2017.

CONFERENCE


ith multiple pressures pushing the industry to Wmeet ever s t r ingent

emission regulations, the need to develop and implement new technology is increasing all the time. To help strengthen the Indian and global automotive community to meet this challenge, a two day conference on Powertrain technologies along with an exposition, was organised by ICAT at Manesar centre Gurgaon.

The conference addressed the latest technological innovations with the real-world data on Powertrain Technology with an aim at the successful identification of the roadmap for meeting the requirements of futuristic stringent emission norms and cleaner environment.

The conference had an attendance of more than 185 delegates

Powertrain technologiesfor better automotive future

from various automotive and allied industries. The sessions during the conference focused upon various research and development activities, industry practices, testing metho-dologies and standards, regulatory and commercial aspects.This was a conference organised to discuss to build a platform for discussion and communication for the industry and stakeholders with a hope that the new ideas and learning from global development in the said field shared by the experts could be summarized as new measures for the development of advanced Powertrain Technologies.

The development of highly efficient and clean powertrains for automotive applications to ensure environment friendly and affordable mobility is a mandatory prerequisite for future market success. New challenges due to changed regulatory boundaries

and an evolving market environment has forced Indian and Global automotive community to rethink over existing strategies & powertrain technologies.

It was an open exchange about future-oriented developments in powertrain technology, fuels and advanced fuel system components, ATS and power transmission and offered an ideal combination of first class speakers, personal networking and insights in the automotive industry as a whole. The speakers for the conference were from leading automotive industries and institutes such Cummins, Bosch, General Motors and others.

Alongside the conference, a workshop was also organised on Hardware-In-Loop (HIL) by National Instruments, showcasing tools for control and design, HIL testing,

CONFERENCE


building test system interfaces. Various service providers exhibited latest technologies being put to use for the development of Powertrain.

Future Policy for Emissions, Efficiency and Mobility

Development of new combustion-based propulsion technologies (gasoline, diesel, PtX, advanced biofuel blends and ICE with fossil and renewable gaseous fuels) in order to achieve optimal performance on a Well-to-Wheel basis and to ensure both energy security and GHG emission mitigation. Additional decarbonisation will then occur through the uptake of electrically-powered drivetrains (battery electric vehicles (BEV) and hybrids (HEV)) and the development of new ICE concepts to complement in synergistically complements the electric drive. However, development of suitable vehicle on-board storage technologies to provide energy density for the electricity and a suitable infrastructure for e-charging still present challenges.

Future Powertrain Demand, Energy Sources and Potential Technologies

Highly efficient and ultra-clean internal combustion engines that use renewable low carbon fuels are a key element of

an electrified / hybridised powertrain and the history of combustion engines it becomes obvious that, for most of the time, the development was primarily d e t e r m i n e d b y c o n t i n u o u s improvements instead of step-changes or revolutionary breakthrough technologies. The introduction of direct fuel injection in combination with turbo-charging was one of the rare and visible exceptions to this trend. This technology bundle, known as “downsizing”, led to a significant efficiency increase in fuel efficiency by about 15%.

BS-VI: Roadmap and challenges

As per the roadmap in the auto fuel policy, BS¬V and BS-VI norms were to be implemented from April 1, 2022, and April 1, 2024, respectively. But in November 2015, the Ministry of Road Transport issued a draft notification, advancing the implementation of BS¬V norms for new four-wheel vehicle models to April 1, 2019, and for existing models to April 1, 2020. The corresponding dates for BS-VI norms were brought forward to April 1, 2021, and April 1, 2022, respectively. But the government's “unanimous decision to leap-frog to BS-VI directly from 01/04/2020”, as Road Transport & Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced on Twitter, skipped the BS-

V stage all together.

The government could face two key challenges in implementing the decision. First, there are questions about the ability of oil marketing companies to quickly upgrade fuel quality from BS-III and BS-IV standards to BS-VI, which is likely to cost upwards of Rs 40,000 crore. Second, and more challenging, is the task of getting auto firms to make the leap. Automakers have clearly said that going to BS-VI directly would leave them with not enough time to design changes in their vehicles, considering that two critical components — diesel particulate filter and selective catalytic reduction module — would have to be adapted to India's peculiar conditions, where running speeds are much lower than in Europe or the US.

Green house gases & CO2 emission regulations for future

Greenhouse gases from human activities are the most significant driver of observed climate change since the mid-20th century. The characterize emissions of the major greenhouse gases resulting from human activities, the concentrations of these gases in the atmosphere, and how emissions and concentrations have changed over time. When comparing emissions of


different gases, these indicators use a concept called “global warming potential” to convert amounts of other gases into carbon dioxide equivalents.

Light duty powertrains

The Advanced Light-Duty Powertrain and Hybrid Analysis (ALPHA) was created by EPA as an analysis tool to estimate the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from Light-Duty (LD) vehicle sources. It is a physics-based, forward-looking, full vehicle simulator, which is capable of simulating various vehicle types and powertrain technologies.

Trade-off between emission and performance

In the present study, a blend of 45% diesel, 15% ethanol and 40% Pongamiapinata methyl ester (PPME) has been used as pilot fuel for CNG dual fuel operation in a single cylinder CI engine along with CNG as the primary fuel. The intake manifold of an existing engine is slightly modified for indirect injection of CNG into the engine cylinder. The results are compared with the pilot diesel operation with same CNG injection strategies. It is found that the pilot operation of the blend is instrumental in increasing the brake thermal efficiency of the engine at all the tested load conditions with higher pilot fuel consumption. Pilot operation of the blend also simultaneously reduced

NOx, hydrocarbon and CO emissions as compared with pilot diesel operation. Hence, it is found that the pilot blend with 15% ethanol and 40% PPME is useful in improving the performance of the engine with significant reduction in emission with respect to CNG-diesel duel fuel operation.

Real world driving emissions & testing

Air pollution is a growing concern in India and the government, in a move to control it, will soon introduce Real Driving Emission (RDE) tests. Such on-road tests will help the government calculate accurate emission profiles of new vehicles. New motor vehicles currently undergo emission tests in labs, but international analysis has proved that vehicles emit higher exhaust gases in real life conditions than in lab tests. This is particularly the case with diesel engines.

The RDE tests will make India one of the few countries to have stringent emission tests in the world. This will allow to keep a tight check on pollution and emission levels of vehicles and will not allow loopholes, which Volkswagen had made away with - the diesel gate scandal.

Fuel cells; Alternative low carbon fuels

Plug-in hybrid cars and other electric drive vehicles are a promising option

for reducing our dependence on oil and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. Electric motors benefit from superior efficiency in converting “fuel” (electricity) into mechanical power, giving them a significant advantage over gasoline combustion engines in reducing fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions.

Hybrid & electric powertrains (HEVs & EVs) : Architectures, Trends and developments, Roadmap & Challenges

Current trends in energy supply and use are unsustainable – economically, environmentally and socially. Without decisive action, energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will more than double by 2050 and increased oil demand will heighten concerns over the security of supplies. We can and must change the path that we are now on; low-carbon energy technologies will play a crucial role in the energy revolution it will take to make this change happen. To effectively reduce GHG emissions, energy efficiency, many types of renewable energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), nuclear power and new transport technologies will all require widespread deployment. Every major country and sector of the economy must be involved and action needs to be taken now, in order to ensure that today's investment decisions do not burden us wi th subop t ima l technologies in the long-term.

By : Shantosh Sharma

CONFERENCE

NEWS

he Indian automobile industry is deepening ties with Bangladesh Tby organising a motor show

there in February 2017. For the first time, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufactures (Siam) will be partnering with its counterpart in Bangladesh to organise the show.

The event, to be known as the Dhaka Automotive Show, will see leading Indian automobile and component manufacturers participating. It is learnt that top Indian companies Maruti Suzuki, M&M, Tata Motors, Ashok Leyland, Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Auto, among others, have expressed interest in participating. The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India, the apex body of auto component makers, will also be a partner. A large delegation from Bangladesh visited us last week. They are trying to understand how automobile manufacture has developed in India. Together, we have decided to organise this expo in Dhaka,” said an

official at Siam.

Indian companies export cars, two-wheelers and commercial vehicles to Bangladesh, which has no manufacturing base. Bangladesh depends on imports from countries such as Japan, Korea and India. The Indian industry is keen to expand sales to Bangladesh. “We have to explore the markets around us. Bangladesh has a potential for growth in automobiles. They have done well as an economy and their per capita income is now close to $1,500,” the official added. A number of Indian companies have assembly units in Bangladesh. Tata Motors has a joint venture assembly unit with Bangladesh's Nitol Motors and sells commercial and passenger vehicles. Commercial vehicles major Ashok Leyland is setting up an assembly unit in Bangladesh with a local partner. India's biggest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp is setting up a manufacturing unit with the Nitol Niloy Group, which also has a

partnership with Tata Motors. The unit, with a capacity to produce 150,000 units, will become operational in 2017. Tyre maker Ceat is also setting up a unit with a Bangladesh company. The expo will give a bigger platform to all these players.

Outside India, Siam used to organise expos in Sri Lanka but discontinued it in some years ago due to problems of high taxes on import of automobiles in the island nation. Annual sale of cars in Bangladesh is estimated to be around 50,000 units. However, a bulk of the cars are reconditioned (refurbished used) ones, imported from countries like Japan. India exports new vehicles to Bang ladesh . However , bo th refurbished and new vehicles attract the same import duty, ranging from 45 per cent for vehicles below 1,500cc, 100 per cent for vehicles between 1,500 and 2,000cc and so on. The two-wheeler market is estimated at about 200,000 units a year.


to hold its first expo in Bangladesh Indian auto industry

NEWS


Rohtang sees itstrial of electric buses

ith the successful trial of the electric bus at Rohtang WPass, at around 13,050 feet,

the state transport department has crossed the first milestone in introduction of eco-friendly transport. But ground clearance is still a challenge as the hilly road is not suitable for such buses.In this case, ground clearance refers to the distance between the ground and the axle of the vehicle.

With two to three more companies giving trial runs in the days to come, the department wants enhanced ground clearance for smooth run of buses between Manali and Rohtang by next summer.

On Friday , Himachal Pradesh became the first state in the country to run an electric bus at an altitude of 13,050 feet. This was not an easy feat. Earlier, the trial run encountered many problems, including bursting of tyres. According to Himachal transport

minister G S Bali, on Friday , technical trial of the electric bus was conducted from Manali to Rohtang Pass with 40 people on board. He said all parameters except ground clearance were successfully achieved. For a distance of 50 kms, the bus consumed only 28% to 30% battery, he said.

The minister said two to three companies which are to give trial run, have been asked to increase ground clearance in view of hilly roads. “There is no doubt that electric buses would run smoothly with no carbon emission,“ he said.

Electric buses are being introduced on the ecologically fragile Manali-Rohtang pass route on the directions of the National Green Tribunal as heavy emission of carbon from petrol and diesel vehicles, especially during peak tourist sea son, was not only turning the snow black but was also leading to fast melting of

glaciers. The tribunal had also asked for plying of CNG buses but non-availability of piped CNG supply made success of CNG bus operation to Rohtang pass from Manali questionable. Since setting up of CNG stations would take time, the state decided to run electric buses till then.

At present, there is a proposal to run 25 electric buses but the number will increase to 50 soon. During the hearing of Rohtang Pass pollution case, the National Green Tribunal, in April this year, directed the Union ministry of heavy industries to finalise the design and specifications of the tender for electric buses in consultation with the Himachal Pradesh government.

The principal bench of the Tribunal, headed by chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said expenditure of buses shall be borne in the ratio of 25% and 75% by the state and Central government.

But ground clearance is still a challenge as the hilly road is not

suitable for such buses. In this case, ground clearance

refers to the distance between the ground and the axle of the

vehicle.

NEWS


he seventh edition of Busworld India will be held in Bengaluru T(Bangalore) from 10 to 12

November. For the first time, Busworld and its Indian partners, Inter Ads Exhibitions, have chosen to use the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, a modern facility in the suburb of Dasanpura Hobli.

This new venue has attracted some new vehicle manufacturing exhibitors like Daimler and Volvo Buses. But also the loyal exhibitors like MG Automotive, SML Isuzu and other OEM's will be presenting their latest vehicles to the professional visitors. In total, more than 70 exhibitors will showcase their products and services on a surface of 3.870 sqm.

Following the success of the 'Busworld Academy & IRU Congress'

held back in April 2015 in Mumbai, we are now joining forces with the 'Association of Road Transport Undertakings' (ASRTU) organising the congress “Bus and coach – A smart transportation system for India”, exploring current challenges, as well as potential opportunities to enable a framework for efficient, comfortable and safe buses in India.

"The Congress in Bangalore will bring together high level mobility experts coming from India and abroad, public and private busoperators, bus and coach manufactures and suppliers and last but not least, authorities and decision makers to exchange ideas for the further improvement of the mobility services on Indian roads. And that is exactly what the mission of Busworld Academy is all about!", said Jan Deman, Busworld Academy Director.

Umberto de Pretto, IRU Secretary General added, “Building on IRU's international experience and expertise as well as our work with the IRU-led All India Smart Move High Level Group we are working towards a clear action plan on safe, green, affordable and sustainable transport in India with policy recommendations on how to substantially increase the use of buses and coaches by 2030.” Ananda Rao, Executive Director of ASRTU, concluded: “The Association of State Road Transport Undertakings is happy to associate wi th this most comprehensive conference and exhibition on Road Transport Industry, highlighting the latest bus models and coaches for India's future fleet.”

A visit of the exhibition can be combined with attending one or more seminars of your choice, making the

BUSWORLD INDIA WILL OPENITS DOORS FROM 10 TO 12 NOVEMBER 2016 IN BANGALORE


Busworld experience even more complete. Pre-registration for exhibition and congress The entrance fee for the exhibition and the congress is free of charge. Busworld does however require you to register.to avoid queing at the entrance.

A background of the Indian bus market

Demand for buses and coaches in India is strong. In the financial year from April 2015 to March 2016, there were 45,085 registrations of vehicles over 7.5 tonnes gross. That compared with 37,457 in the previous financial year but was still not as high as the record of 49,932 units in the 12 months from April 2011.

This volatility can be attributed to a number of reasons, but the main one is the periodic introduction of stimulus schemes to subsidise the purchase of new city buses. The Government is keen to encourage the scrapping of older and more polluting buses and to replace them with modern new vehicles that are much more driver and passenger friendly. Industry observers expect demand to rise in 2017 and to remain strong in the following years.

Levels of car ownership in India are rising, and that is contributing to urban congestion. There are now around 22 cars per 1,000 people which means that there is great demand for public transport, especially buses.

There is a growing market for special school buses, mainly medium size vehicles, and for simple buses for employee transport. The Government has introduced the Bus Code which took its inspiration from the European Bus Directive. It introduced new standards of specifications, making buses safer and more comfortable.

It also introduced Conformity of Production with which all manufacturers must comply. This spelled the end of many small builders

who made the most basic vehicles, frequently hand built in single numbers. Re-bodying of older chassis was rife and many of those vehicles were simply not safe. Over the last few years, features like lower floors and air suspension have become much more widespread. Power steering is now mandatory. The Government is continuing to press ahead with further safety features having recently made it mandatory for all buses to be fitted with tracking devices, CCTV's and panic buttons that connect to the nearest police station.

In some cities, premium services are available from suburbs to the main business areas. Passengers can pay a higher fare for vehicles equipped with air conditioning and wi-fi connectivity.

The vast majority of buses and coaches in India are powered by diesel engines. The Government has progressively introduced Bharat Standards which are based on European emission limits. However, for several years, Delhi has required all city buses to be powered by compressed natural gas, even insisting on the retrofitting of gas engines to older buses already in service.Small numbers of hybrid buses have entered service, and that in turn has led to growing interest in all-electric vehicles. Although the capital costs are much

higher, the running cost per mile is lower and the price of batteries is coming down steadily.

There is now more competi-tion between manufacturers and that is also helping to drive up standards. Fully automatic gearboxes have become acceptable on city buses. Engines are becoming cleaner and there are significant reductions in noise, vibration and harshness. Electrical and electronic systems are continually being updated, facilitating electronic destination equipment, GPS, On-Board Diagnostics and Smart Multi-Mode Ticketing.

India has modern highways, linking all the main towns and cities. That has led to rapid expansion in express coach services. At the top end of the market, this has seen the introduction of more powerful engines, full air conditioning, reclining seats, and many other features for the comfort and convenience of passengers.

India is also a substantial exporter of buses. In the financial year from April 2014 to March 2015, 49,365 buses and coaches over 7.5 tonnes gross went abroad. That rose to 54,187 in the following twelve months. India is the second largest manufacturer of buses and coaches in the world (after China) and that alone makes Busworld India well worth a visit.

NEWS

NEWS

wiss power and automation technology group ABB has Sdrawn up plans for India to

become a fully electric vehicle nation by 2030, including an offer to supply electric buses that can be charged within 15 seconds. India has plans to convert around 1.5 lakh diesel buses run by state transport corporations into electric buses in a bid to reduce its Rs.8 lakh crore annual crude oil import bill and check pollution, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had said last year.

With no overhead lines, the electric buses by ABB connect to a high-power charging contact at bus stations through its controlled moving arm. It is equipped with on-board batteries and gets charged at various 'flash-charging' bus stations within 15 seconds. At the terminals, buses can be fully charged within five minutes and can help save up to 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions ever year, compared with existing diesel buses.

Power boost

Come December, a new line of such buses will replace some of the diesel buses in Geneva with flash-charging connection technology taking less than a second to connect the bus to the charging point at 13 bus stops with a 600-kilowatt power boost.

ABB has partnered with Geneva's public transport operator TGP, the Office of Promotion of Industries and Technologies and Geneva power Utility SIG to develop a fleet of 12 such electric buses, also known as TOSA (Trolleybus Optimisation Systeme Alimentation) connecting 14 kilometre distance from Geneva's airport to its sub-urban beginning December this year. When asked about the potential of TOSA buses in India, ABB's chief executive

officer (CEO) Ulrich Spiesshofer said: “We are working with potential customers all around the globe and India is definitely the target market for sustainable transport.”

“We look at India at a long-term perspective. India has steep ambitions for electric vehicles till 2030 and altogether we are a long-term partner,” Mr. Spiesshofer said. “The bus wastes no time as the on-board batteries get charged within 15 seconds while passengers are boarding and de-boarding the bus. The idea is to utilise the bus station space by using it as charging points and operate them at par with the diesel fleet,” said Bruce Warner, Global Product Specialist for rail and urban transportation at ABB.

Mr. Warner added that the bus system is safe as the voltage is only released when the bus is connected for charging at the bus stations. “So, even if someone climbs up on the bus station, he won't get any electric shock. It's totally safe,” he said. ABB has a tie-up with Volvo Buses, which operate in 13 cities across the country, to co-develop

and commercialise electric and hybrid buses with fast charging systems. ABB India Managing Director Sanjeev Sharma had said in August that the Union government has agreed to his request for operating the electric buses with flash-charging facility on a pilot-basis. Mr. Gadkari had said that ticket fares can be halved on electric buses as these can be charged at night, when excess electricity available at as low as Rs.3.5 per unit equivalent to one litre of fuel which may range between Rs. 50-60.

The National Electricity Mission Plan 2020 had identified the need to build rapid charging points at prominent bus stops in India to eliminate the need for large batteries. It had, however, said a pilot projects needs to be rolled out to see the viability of its operations on a large scale as it costs five times the cost of normal charging stations.

It had said that the likely potential demand for electric buses in India will be in the range of 2,300-2,700 units by 2020.


ABB to electrify Indian Buses

rbanisation is developing at an alarming speed and will Uhave a considerable effect

on urban traffic that will see an increase over the next few years. The solutions currently in place cannot deal with the increase in traffic flow. By 2050, 70 percent of the world's population will be living in towns and cities and traffic flow will reach a saturation point.

Public transport is a solution to these problems but falls short when it comes to the “last miles”, zones with individual needs that are more difficult to manage. NAVYA is offering innovative 100 percent driverless vehicle solutions to satisfy these expectations. NAVYA ARMA shuttles can provide transportation for people and goods in a safe and regular manner.

The NAVYA ARMA shuttles operating today are for use on private sites only, but may also circulate on the open road or in urban areas with the correct authorisation.

The NAVYA ARMA is the first vehicle designed to be completely driverless. Incorporated into this totally original model are ten years' expertise in the field and conclusions drawn from tests carried out in several countries (Switzerland, France, USA, England and Singapore). In terms of its look, the NAVYA ARMA has rewritten the traditional codes of vehicle design.

It is symmetrical, has neither a steering wheel nor pedals, offers 360 degree exterior vision and interacts with its passengers by way

Ruediger Schroeder, MD Karcher India


EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE


Navya Arma ‘driverless’ for next generation

EXCLUSIVE

of touchscreen technology. It is a clean vehicle requiring no specific infrastructure and limited mainte-nance. The cost of a transport line equipped with driverless shuttles is estimated 30 to 40 percent less expensive than a classic line.

This vehicle, available for sale from October 2015 onwards, NAVYA has start a new era in the transportation of people and goods.

NAVYA, SPECIALISTS IN DRIVER LESS VEHICLES

NAVYA is a Lyon and Paris-based company that develops driverless vehicles for the specific site transportation of people and goods. The company has established itself as a specialist in the field, renowned for using the complex technology

that is a combination of software expertise, automobile construction and advanced techniques in navigation, geolocation and telecommunication.

With more than ten years' experience in designing and producing driverless vehicles, NAVYA has developed numerous original prototypes that have been tested in many countries, proving that reliable, safe and clean driverless vehicles are a very real possibility.

October 2015 will mark the launch of the new NAVYA ARMA, the manufacturer's first driverless production vehicle. In a market estimated to be worth more than 515 billion dollars by 2035, NAVYA is today taking the road to success.

NAVYA ARMA

The very first driverless vehicle NavyaArma is a driverless, safe, reliable and comfortable public transport vehicle that can carry up to 15 people. It has been designed to satisfy the specific needs of a driverless vehicle whilst optimising on navigation and safety functions. Its efficient guidance systems combine many different types of technology including Lidars, stereovision cameras, GPS RTK, IMU and odometer. Its speed is limited but it can travel at up to 45 km/h according to requirements. There is a remote centralised control unit that checks its movements and an emergency braking system can be accessed if there is a problem. The NAVYA ARMA is 100 percent electric and operates on inductive


EXCLUSIVE

charging batteries with a flexible rate of durability ranging from eight to twenty four hours. The vehicle is equipped with the latest generation in sensors to enable it to find its way around and navigate effectively. Lidars, stereovision cameras, GPS RTK, IMU and odometer enable the NAVYA ARMA to position itself to within a few centimetres from the desired target and to identify all types of obstacle on the road (fixed such as posts or mobile such as pedestrians) or signage in both daylight and at night time. The

shuttle is adapted to handle impromptu situations and gains experience over time on a given circuit by memorising the fixed obstacles on the route to optimise its performance.

The designers behind the NAVYA ARMA have a l so concentrated their efforts on the comfort of its passengers to include a closed cab industrial sites theme parks airports university campuses hospitals convention centres applications and comfortable seats

to protect against climatic conditions such as rain, cold and heat and also against the general movement when driving. Automatic doors linked to voice information messages and information videos mean that passengers can get on and off safely. Optimum passenger capacity is 15.

“There are many issues associated with driverless vehicles but we are focused on three main objectives: safety, reliability and comfort. Several tests have in fact demonstrated that passengers need to be reassured when using new travel systems. Whilst the NAVYA ARMA remains loyal to the tradition of public transport, its means of interacting with the public show how innovative it is. The vehicle's leading edge technology has to fade away in order for the trip to become more natural. Our aim is that each trip taken in a NAVYA ARMA shuttle has to be convincing enough to change the habits of the user and reduce the risks linked to traffic flow” states Christophe Sapet, CEO of NAVYA.


NAVYA is offering innovative 100 percent driverless vehicle solutions to satisfy these

expectations. NAVYA ARMA shuttles can provide

transportation for people and goods in a safe and regular

manner.

nnovations and inventions in the Switzerland's power sector have Ithe potential to revolutionise

India's hydel-power and transport sectors. Swiss firm ABB's fifteen seconds charge technology can help convert India's 1.5 lakh diesel buses. In a bid to make India a fully electric vehicle nation by 2030, Swiss power and automation technology group ABB has drawn up plans to offer a supply of electric buses that can be charged in mere 15 seconds.

With an aim to reduce its Rs 8 lac crore annual crude oil import bill and check pollution, India has plans to convert state transport corporations' 1.5 lakh diesel buses into electric ones. The electric buses are equipped with on-board batteries that get charged at several flash-charging bus stations within 15 seconds. The ground-breaking technology is developed by ABB engineers in Switzerland.

The electric buses made by ABB have no overhead lines, they rather get charged through a high-power charging contact at bus stations through the controlled moving arm. With this technology, buses can be fully charged within five minutes at the terminals.This will help save up to 3.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emitted every year by diesel buses.

At first glance, these buses appear more like the regular electric trolley buses that are usually seen in European cities. But as you look towards the roof of these buses, you will notice that instead of trolley poles that connect overhead lines, there is a moving arm on the bus that connects to an overhead vessel, which is then integrated with the bus terminal.

The vessel carries a flash-charging technology that enables

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ABB electric buses can solv


e India’s pollution problem

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capacity to carry over 10,000 passengers a day. “The deployment of TOSA on Line 23 is the result of the collaborative efforts of the public and private sector partners who invested in this vision.This innovative project opens the way for the future of mobility, by providing a sustainable and environmentally-friendly mass transport solution for the well-being of our community," said Luc Barthassat, Geneva's State Councillor for Transport and Environment.

On being asked about the prospects of TOSA buses in India, ABB's chief executive officer Ulrich Spiesshofer said, “We are closely working with prospective customers all over the world and India is surely the target market for sustainable transport.” The highly ambitious company understands the long term need of India's automobile industry and is committed to delivering results in predetermined time span. “We view India from a long-term perspective. India has huge ambitions for electric

batteries to be charged in 15 seconds to travel 2 kilometers with 130 people on board. Batteries can be charged while passengers are getting on and off the bus. This fifteen seconds charge gives these batteries a 600-kilowatt shot. Later, the batteries can be fully charged at the bus terminal which would take no more than five minutes. By offering a model for future urban transport, the state-of-the-art f lash charging technology developed by ABB strengthens its vision of sustainable mobility for a far superior world.

Power boost

In December, a new line of electric buses will replace many diesel buses in Geneva with flash charging connection technology that will take not even a second to connect the bus to the charging point. This will be implemented at 13 bus stops. This is part of the order totalling 16 million USD awarded by Transports Publics Genevois (TPG), Geneva's public transport operator, and Swiss bus

manufacturer HESS to ABB Group to provide flash charging and on-board electric vehicle technology for 12 TOSA (Trolleybus Optimisation Systeme Alimentation) fully electric buses .

ABB, in partnership with Geneva's public transport operator TGP, the Office that promotes Industries and Technologies and Geneva power Utility SIG, will develop a fleet of 12 such electric buses that will connect 14-kilometre distance from Geneva's airport to its suburban. It is slated to start in December this year. It may sound simple, but the fact is there placement of Geneva's strong fleet of 229 diesel buses would bring down 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission a year. This estimate is based on an assumption that the diesel buses run 600,000 kilometres annually.

These buses, when fully commissioned in 2018, will play on the city's Route 23, which connects the city's airport with its suburbs. It has the


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vehicles till 2030 and overall we are a long-term partner,” Mr. Spiesshofer added. The two solutions to traffic congestions are the optimum use of public transport and emission free transport. "We see a big inclination towards urbanisation which is a cause of great traffic congestion. One of the solutions to that is that people travel together on public transport and that the transport becomes emission free.

TOSA is not only a system that meets these needs and but it is also a technology that offers huge flexibility. This is anapproach to be energy efficient, green and economically viable," said Bruce Warner, Global Product Specialist for rail and urban transportation, ABB.

The highly efficient electric buses make the best use of time as its

batteries can be charged while passengers are boarding and de-boarding the bus. It is convenient besides being time efficient.

Mr. Warner said, “The bus efficiently utilises time as the onboard batteries get charged within just fifteen seconds while passengers are getting on and off the bus. The idea is to make the best use of the bus station space by using it as charging points and operate them at par with the diesel fleet.”

Mr .Warner claims that the bus system is extremely safe as the voltage is released only after the bus is connected to the charging point at the bus stations. The technology is both environment and passenger friendly.

“So, even if someone climbs up on the bus station, he won't get any electric shock. It's totally safe,” he said.

With a view to co-develop and commercialise electric and hybrid buses with fast charging systems, ABB


TOSA: a breakthrough fast-charging bus technologyEnabling emission-free public transport in Geneva

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has also tied up with Volvo Buses, which operate in 13 cities across the country. In August, ABB India Managing Director Sanjeev Sharma announced that the Union government has agreed to his request to operate the electric buses with flash-charging facility on a pilot basis.

Mr. Gadkari said that fare of bus tickets will be reduced by half if the buses are charged at night when the excess electricity is available at as low as Rs.3.5 per unit which is equivalent to the cost of one litre of fuel that ranges between Rs. 50-60.

The National Electricity Mission Plan 2020 acknowledged the need to build rapid charging points at major bus stops in India to eradicate the need for large batteries. However, it said a pilot project is needed to be rolled out to see the feasibility of its functionality on a large scale as its set up cost is five times the cost of standard charging stations.

It is estimated that the potential demand for electric buses in India would be in the range of 2,300-2,700 units by 2020.

What makes the technology significant for India?

In India, transport accounts for a tenth of India's greenhouse gas emissions with 95 percent of it coming from the road transport.

A study by the Indian Institute of Science claims that one diesel bus replaced by an electric bus on Indian roads will lead to a carbon dioxide drop by around 25 tonnes a year. There are 1.5 lakh diesel buses in India. With the replacement of all these buses with electric buses, the amount of carbon dioxide emission will come down by 3.7 million tonnes.

This technology will help boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to create 100 smart cities in India. This will also help meet India's

Paris Climate Accord goals faster. New Delhi has officially approved the Paris Climate Accord, under which India is expected to reduce emission intensity by at least 33 percent, by 2030. India has also agreed to generate 40 percent of its total installed electric power through non-fossil-fuel resources.

Geneva is one of leading cities of the world. It is known as a financial hub, a global centre of diplomacy, and a technology and innovation centre. It is also famous as a tourist destination with a great quality of life. It has the greatest number of international organisations in the world that includes global headquarters of institutions like the Red Cross and the United Nations.

ABB is known to offer a range of technologies to support mobility applications such as metros, railways and electric buses and other vehicles. Transportation and Infrastructure are one of the three most important customer groups that ABB serves alongside utilities and industry. Besides, sustainable mobility is a key focus area within ABB's Next Level strategy.

ABB is actively involved in the transportation sector and this year it is celebrating 125 years of its legacy in Swi tze r l and . Recen t l y , ABB technologies also started helping to power and ventilate the recently made 57 km Gotthard base tunnel through the Alps. Gotthard base tunnel is the world's longest railway tunnel.

By : Sapna Madan

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NEWS

ment that evolves all stakeholders


pollo Tyres has appointed Daniele Lorenzetti as the Acompany's Chief Technology

Officer (CTO). Daniele will spearhead Apollo Tyres' global initiatives towards research and development, for both passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle tyres. He will be assisted by the research, technology and design teams across geographies.

Commenting on Daniele's appoitment, Neeraj Kanwar, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Apollo Tyres Ltd, said, “Technology being a key pillar for our growth aspirations globally, Daniele, with his rich experience will take our research and development to the next level. With several tyre and mobility related patents against his name, Daniele would help us achieve product leadership in various segments.”

Daniele's last assignment was with Pirelli Tyres, where he spent close to 20 years in various capacities; his last role was as Product Director – Industrial Division, where he was responsible for the management of tyre product, materials and process development from design to industriali-sation of Truck, Agri and Special Vehicles. Prior to this, he was the Product Director for passenger vehicle tyres with a global responsibility of technical OE homologation activities and development of new product lines.

Daniele was also associated with Trelleborg Wheel Systems SPA as Vice President – R&D (Agro, Forestry & Industrial Tyres).

Daniele Lorenzetti will be based out of the company's European headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Speaking about his

appointment, Daniele Lorenzetti, Chief Technology Officer, Apollo Tyres Ltd said, “I am excited to be a part of this growing organisation, which is gradually making its mark globally. I am positive that we will be able to bring out competitive products which

address our global customer needs, and at the same time, is technologically superior.”

Apollo Tyres has also inducted Daniele Lorenzetti in its Management Board.

Daniele Lorenzetti as Chief Technology Officer

Apollo Tyres appoints

E_MOBILITY

elhi Transport Corporation (DTC) carried four months Dtrails with two electric buses

on loan from Chinese firm BYD starting June 2016. Some of the interesting facts about these buses and results which have been produced during these trails are as follows:

Battery : Battery bank of 324 kWh capacity with life more than 4,000 cycles.

Centrally Air-Conditioned : The bus is fully air-conditioned and expected to meet the comfort requirement of the passengers.

CCTV : Bus is equipped with CCTV

cameras and hence its control and connectivity

In this trial project bus covered approximately 10 different routes in capital, covering almost 16,915 km. During this the bus consumed 27,368 units if electricity.

RATE COMPARISON

When compared to the existing fleet per km rate following data was released by DTC:

Seeing the cost comparison, there exist negligible differences in the running cost of these buses. However the major benefit of electric bus is that it non polluting vehicle i.e. zero tail pipe emissions. Another fact which is of utmost importance is the price of these buses. Cost of electric buses ranges in 2 to 3 crores while a CNG bus are within 1 crore price tag.

To get the benefit of electric buses in terms of running cost and zero emissions while sustaining economic


ELECTRIC BUS TRIALIN NATIONAL CAPITAL

Rs. 10.66 Rs. 10.66

Rs. 17.25 Rs. 17.25

RATE COMPARISON

Average rate per Unit of Electricity/CNG

Average cost per Kilometer

ELECTRIC BUS CNG BUS

viability, use of electric buses has to be scaled up to a level that cost of procuring electric buses can be lowered on account of volume and competition. DTC, in its report has offered a view in front of government that by large scale implementation, the high cost of these electric buses can be offset by :

Low maintained costZero tail pipe emissions250 km in single charge

BYD BUSES

BYD (Build your Dreams) is Chinese company, which has been producing rechargeable batteries and electric vehicles in China and selling same throughout the world. Recently it has

ÆÆÆ

for manufacturing electric cars. The company is in talks with several state transport undertakings (STUs) for city electric buses and is hopeful of bagging multiple orders. BYD has an electric bus manufacturing facility in USA and has a contract to supply electric buses to the Los Angeles

signed an joint venture with BK Modi's Smart Group for transfer of technology for manufacturing electric vehicles, namely e-buses to start with.

This will be followed by production of cars for use as e-taxis and later a separate plant will be set up


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county. In 2015, BYD sold the most renewable energy powered vehicles in the world making its presence in 190 cities across 43 countries.

COMPARISON TO DIESEL VEHICLES

Compared in longer run electric vehicle proves to be a win-win situation when compared to diesel buses. The electric bus has many advantages like zero tailpipe exhaust fumes and less noise when compared to other buses. It would also not have idling motor energy losses at bus stops or traffic signals. Less vibration of the bus would result in a more comfortable and smoother journey for the passengers.

This will also lead to longer vehicle life. The electric bus has lower and more predictable operating costs compared to the fluctuating price and availability of imported fossil and other liquid fuels. Fewer moving parts and the 'slide out/slot in' modularity of the electric traction packages make the

maintenance of the vehicle simpler and cheaper. The electric bus has regenerative braking that helps it use its motors as generators and recycle energy into the batteries. The bus battery would be recharged during off-peak hours from the grid.

DEMAND IN INDIA

These has been increasing demand from the government, to take measure to reduce pollution in large metro cities and other place where pollution is proving detrimental to environment and general public health. States like Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra have already planned to have electric vehicles in their planning and some of them are already in process of procuring electric buses. Further these vehicles can be charged from the electricity produced by renewable sources like hydro, wing; solar thereby reducing the carbon foot print of transport. Introduction of electric buses will mark a new era in

the history of public transport in India there by putting it on the path of sustainable growth and success.

OTHER ENTRANTS INTO ELECTRIC BUSES IN INDIA

1. JBM ECOLIFE ELECTRIC BUS

2. ASHOK LEYLAND ELECTRIC BUS (Through its U.K. subsidiary of Optare)

With increase in adaptability of these electric buses in India, problem of pollution can be reduced to a respectable level. This will also help people in adopting this new technology of electric power train in their own personal commuting like E-bikes and Electric Cars. Government has also introduced new Automotive Industry Standard (AIS 131) in this regard where electric vehicles or retrofitted electric vehicles will be run on pilot project and can be certified though government agencies for their registration for plying on roads.


E_MOBILITY

NATIONAL ELECTRIC MOBILITY MISSION PLAN (NEMMP) 2020

Government of India launched the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP) 2020 in 2013. It aims to achieve national fuel security by promoting hybrid and electric vehicles in the country. There is an ambitious target to achieve 6-7 million sales of hybrid and electric vehicles year on year from 2020 onwards. Government aims to provide fiscal and monetary incentives to kick start this nascent technology. With the support from the

Government, the cumulative sale is expected to reach 15-16 Million by 2020. It is expected to save 9500 Million Liters of crude oil equivalent to Rs. 62000 Cr. savings.

Government has launched the scheme namely Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME India) under NEMMP 2020 in the Union Budget for 2015-16 with an initial outlay of Rs. 75 Cr. The scheme will provide a major push for early adoption and market creation of both hybrid and electric technologies

vehicles in the country. The thrust for the Government through this scheme will be to allow hybrid and electric vehicles to become the first choice for the purchasers so that these vehicles can replace the conventional vehicles and thus reduce liquid fuel consumption in the country from the automobile sector. It is envisaged that early market creation through demand incentive, in-house technology development and domestic production will help industry reach a self-sufficient economies of scale in the long run by around the year 2020.


By

: A

bhis

hek

Kum

ar

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ndian roads are known for their potholes and their bumpy Irides… Well, people travelling in

their cars wouldn't take this matter seriously until their bumpers rub against the road, as they feel better comfort than travelling in a city bus on the same road, that bumps, shakes and it spoils the mood for the day..!

Today, air suspension has become a common feature in all the intercity coaches and also has made its spot in most of the city and state run transport buses. But most of us won't be aware that this air suspension technology was introdu-ced in the Indian commercial vehicle market way back in 1980s…! But only in the 1990s it came in to be a part of the vehicle body. Initially introduced in intercity coaches, was a hit in the early period itself. The buses which had air suspension installed were called as “AIR BUS”. These buses were premium over the normal ones and the air suspension feature was considered a sophistica-ted feature.

Today the air suspension is not premium anymore. But it is a must expected feature to be present in the bus by the passengers. Now, as air suspension has become essential, it is a standard fitment for buses.

The JNnurm scheme was brought into act in 2008. This scheme made almost every state government to introduce semi low floor buses (SLF buses). As there is increase in SLFs the demand for air


Travelling with theTECHNOLOGY


floating technology TECHNOLOGY


spare parts stocked across the country through distributors and talking about service, We know, TVS group never compromises on service. They have trained service team at all important locations across India.

Coming to the bus section, Wheels India offers us twelve different varieties of air suspension systems that are applicable for different road and operation conditions. In addition to these products, Wheels India are specialists in controls and special products like leveling valve, electronically controlled air suspension systems, electronic kneeling systems.

Wheels India also pioneered in manufacturing air suspensions for trucks ranging for different applications from tractor trailer suspensions to lift able axles in trucks. When it comes to the question, “what's special about Wheels India air suspension

suspensions were increased eventually. This made a boom in the air suspension market in India.

Well, there are handful manufacturers of these air suspensions, who supply to their network of OEMs they have partnership with. One such major air suspension manufacturer from south India is our “Wheels India”. Situated in Chennai, one of the biggest automotive hub of our country, Wheels India is known for the quality of its products. It is a TVS group company. Wheels India are manufacturers of rims and air suspensions for major OEMs.

Starting with bus service in 1911,has now grown in to different businesses in the automotive industry. Wheels India entered the air suspension market under the name “WILRIDE”. Their products are having demand throughout India and also in SriLanka, Thailand and Mauritius. Being a pioneer in air

suspension system manufacturing, Wheels India designed their air suspension system to suit Indian road conditions. Now, Wheels India has developed partnerships with major Indian OEMs. Currently, the companies they supply air suspension systems are Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors, AMW, Volvo – Eicher (VE commercial vehicles), Man – Force, Mahindra buses and trucks, SML – Isuzu and recently joined hands with Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Ltd.

Now, more than 80,000 buses that are equipped with Wheels India manufactured air suspension systems. The success behind their air suspension products is that, they offer complete range of air suspension systems for all kinds of applications. Their tonnage ranges is from 2Tonnes to 12Tonnes axle rating. We all know, good products sell anywhere in the world, only if they have good service and spare parts network. Wheels India have

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systems…?” Well, we have set of features that are offered by these air suspension systems that is a suitable answer for this question.

First of all, the wheels India air suspension systems are very simple in construction, especially the FTS-6 series and the FTS- 8-4 series.

Next, all the series of Wheels India air suspension system have minimum wear parts.

They are light in weight, but they don't compromise on strength.

All the series offer excellent roll stability to the vehicles.

Series like FTS 8-5 series are currently doing an excellent job in Low floor buses in our country.

They offer heavy duty bushing, Both FTS and RLS series are good in it.

Coming to the RLS series, they have V-link suspension that offers max roll stability and comfort.

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Systems like RLS 12-o series offer high speed cornering, hence suitable for sleeper coaches.

Some series are specially designed to maximize payload capacity.

Wheels India also have solution for the trending multi axle buses through the RLS 16- MAB series.

Talking about the suspension capacity of this series.

1. Axle rating : 16 tons2. Air spring volume : 12.5 l3. Suspension Stroke : 100/100 mm

The features this series offers are,

1. Durability and strength through advanced technology

2. Suitable for high capacity intercity coaches

3. No need for lubrications

4. Easy assembly as it has fewer components

5. Minimum wear parts and they provide excellent roll stability as the other series do.

Over the years the air suspension system's demand in the Indian commercial vehicle market is increasing. This has also lead to the development of these systems technically. Earlier days, when the air suspension system was introduced, the buses with air suspension system were premium class. Now, the scenario is that the buses with


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advanced air suspension system, which we call Electronically controlled air suspension system (ECAS), which gives us multiple options for ride height are considered premium.

The buses with these air suspension system offer good floating standard comfort to the passengers, while on the travel and also makes it easy for them to board the vehicle, through advanced kneeling system. This feature reduces the ground clearance height upto 60mm, eventually easy entry and exit for the passengers. So, this is how the air suspension made its entry in India as a mechanical system, and thanks to the engineers across world and thanks to Wheels India, who have joined hands and developed these air suspension systems to now what we call the ECAS that has made our travel comfort to the next level.

By : Ganesh Kumar

Coming to the bus section, Wheels India offers us twelve different varieties of air suspension systems that are applicable for different road and operation conditions. In addition to these products, Wheels

India are specialists in controls and special products like leveling valve, electronically controlled air suspension systems, electronic

kneeling systems.


Equipment used in industrial facilities such as pumps, pipes and surfaces of all kinds – have to be able to withstand harsh conditions and heavy-duty use. Henkel works hand-in-hand with customers from heavy industries to meet these new challenges, providing a one-stop shop for tailored services. The new MRO application development centre at Pune is fully equipped to develop and offer Loctite polymer composite solutions to rebuild, repair and protect industrial equipment. The centre has full capability to apply and test the performance of these innovative solutions in typical industrial operating environments.

The acoustic engineering centre provides comprehensive testing of Henkel's individual and combined parts and pumpable acoustic solutions, offering customers performance and economical expertise in acoustics, along with detailed analytical results of their findings to offer optimum NVH solutions. In addition to panel vibration and sound propagation of a typical body structure, the facility conducts evaluations for vibration damping or stiffening body panels using materials loss factor. Additionally, sound transmission loss and absorption is used to measure and optimize body-in-white or component treatments. At the centre, Henkel's trained team of engineers analyse acoustic material properties of structures and panels to determine their effectiveness in automotive, off-road equipment and appliance applications.

Pradhyumna Ingle, business director, general industry, Henkel India, said, “Henkel anticipates, responds to and meets customers' expectations, building partnerships with them to achieve success. The MRO and acoustic centres will go a long way in working with our customers to work on finding complete solutions to their design, efficiency and reliability challenges.”

e n k e l A d h e s i v e s Technologies India Private HLimited (Henkel India), the

provider for adhesives, sealants and functional coatings, has expanded the capabilities of its innovation centre in Pune with two dedicated laboratories for maintenance repair & overhaul (MRO), and acoustic & NVH.

These laboratories will facilitate development of products that can meet the unique needs of customers to save costs, reduce downtime and improve performance; test products in simulated conditions in-house before they are used in actual conditions; and train customers on product selection, application, and best practices.

“We offer end-to-end solutions to our customers right from developing and selecting right solutions, testing and v a l i d a t i o n t o o n t h e l i n e implementation. We are committed to further deepen our partnership with our customers in India, Middle East and Africa with the new investments in innovation centre at Pune,” stated Jerry Perkins, global head of general industry adhesives, Henkel Group.

of Pune innovation centre with two labsHenkel expands capabilities

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NEWS

reparing for the upcoming emission norms, leading Pautomotive lighting firm Fiem

Industries has signed Technology License and Assistance Agreement” (TAA) with Aisan Industry Co., Ltd., Japan and Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan for manufacturing of 'Canister'. 'Canister' is an Emission Control System Product, which will have huge market in India due to implementation of stricter emission norms for two-wheelers and three wheelers, as it will become mandatory w.e.f. 1st April, 2017. Under the TAA, the 'Canister' will be manufactured by Fiem Industries Ltd. with the technical support of Aisan Industry for two-wheelers and three-wheelers in Indian market.

Speaking on the TAA, J.K. Jain, Chairman & Managing Director of Fiem Industries Ltd. said:“We see this as a big opportunity of diversification into new product line. Being a leading

supplier of automotive lighting and rear view mirrors etc. to number of leading two-wheelers OEMs, Fiem aims to supply the Canister to all its existing OEM customers as well as target new customers.”

Aisan Group, established in 1938 in Japan is among world leaders in its class of products like Electronic Fuel Injection Products, Emission Control System Products, Engine Cooling System Products, Intake & Exhaust System Products, Engine Valves and LPG & CNG System Products etc. Aisan Group has global presence through its subsidiaries and affiliates and their major customers are Toyota, Hyundai, Renault Nissan, Yamaha, Suzuki and so on. Toyota Tsusho Corporation is a Group Company of Toyota Group, Japan having presence in diverse range of businesses around the world. Under the TAA, Toyota Tsusho Corporation, will provide support for procurement of

materials and components etc. for manufacturing of the Canister.

Fiem Industries Ltd., with a history of more than 40 years, is a leading manufacturer of automotive lighting & signaling equipment, rear view mirrors, sheet metal and plastic moulded parts and supplies these products to a large number of OEMs. Fiem's top two-wheelers customers are Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI), TVS Motors, Harley Davidson, Yamaha, Suzuki, Royal Enfield and so on.

Apart from Automotive Com-ponents, Fiem's other business includes LED Lighting for Indoor and Outdoor applications and Integrated Passenger Information System for Railways and Buses etc. With the news of this alliance the Fiem Industries's stock price has hit a record high of Rs 1,255, up 4% on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in early morning trade.

signs TA with Japanese firmFiem Industries


NEWS

aoto Yamagishi is excited about his company's growth Nopportunities in India. As

Managing Director of Bridgestone Asia Pacific Technical Centre head quartered in Thailand, he believes that a lot of the action is happening in the automotive arena here. After all, India is projected to produce over five million cars by 2020 which will make it the third largest market after China and the US.

These numbers augur well for Bridgestone which is keen on growing its tyre business here from its plants in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Yet, Yamagishi only smiles when asked if a technical centre will come up here to keep pace with the growth plans. Thailand still holds the aces in Asia-Pacific while China, Japan, Italy and the US make up the list of other centres.

“India will do more R&D work in the future. We are expanding our business and need to step this up,” says Yamagishi. His India counterpart, Kazuhiko Mimura , is equally upbeat about the road ahead. “From our top management's point of view, India is one of the most important markets,” he says.

Going forward, it will become even more relevant for Bridgestone's global targets and vision in the coming years. India is comfortably ahead of the rest in Asia-Pacific where the likes of Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia and the Philippines report lower car sales since they are smaller markets. In addition, India is the world's largest two-wheeler market, a segment Bridgestone recently made a foray into. It was also some weeks ago when the company launched Firestone, which

Mimura terms “a legendary and great brand of Bridgestone” with its roots in the US. “We are proud to launch it in India as it will cater to a wider variety of customers seeking value for money,” he says. With its wide mix of vehicles on the road right from two-wheelers to cars and trucks, India's complexities also translate into a lot of opportunities.“It takes time to develop tyres for a

variety of customers. We launched Firestone as part of this strategy. Other markets are growing too but India is faster and, therefore, more relevant to Bridgestone right now,” says Mimura. He is quick to add that it is important to prioritise business opportunities and check out carefully if the company needs to enter particular segments. “Whenever we see something


IS BETTING BIG ON INDIA FOR TYRESBRIDGESTONE TYRES

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he reiterates. By the end of the day, the challenge is to provide suitable products with adequate R&D and marketing support. Indian road conditions are pretty rough and “that is why our concern for tyre specifications is the strongest and toughest here”.

One of the subjects intensely debated in the auto sector is the Bharat Stage VI emissions deadline which comes into effect in 2020. While the time period and accompanying issues like technology and fuel availability are discussed in forums, the tyre industry also faces it own set of challenges. “The tyre is the most important part of a car to reduce emissions and it is not so easy to optimise requirements like durability and longer life,” says Yamagishi. As he explains, tyres need to keep pace with changing global trends and the challenge is to create the right products.

Will this mean that tyres produced in the post-BS VI era could have reduced life periods? Perhaps they will be dearer too given that manufacturers like Bridgestone will need to invest in new technology as existing tyres may not be able to meet BS VI requirements.

According to Yamagishi, India is not alone in the battle for tighter emission norms as countries such as Malaysia and New Zealand are also working in this direction. There is a lot of work happening at its Thailand technical centre where India is perhaps key focus in the clean air drive. “We need to think of costs and it will be tough across the world,” admits Yamagishi.

Sure, there are challenges ahead but as Mimura says, Bridgestone is the global No 1 brand which has the expertise and technologies to “steer us through this change”. Twice a year, the Indian operations carry out new product plan meetings where issues on BS VI will also be discussed in detail.


interesting, we need to decide the next step based on market surveys before finalising where to go,” says Mimura.

Despite India's obvious market potential, some multinational carmakers especially from the West believe it is not easy doing business here since it is highly price-conscious which translates into lower margins. “Challenges throw up opportunities. We simply do not bring products from other markets to India but carry out extensive research and market surveys to get the right specifications,” says Mimura. According to him, India is not “totally different or complex from other markets”. As he puts it, certain

customer segments represent value for money in other countries as well even while this could be a little more pronounced in India and the ASEAN region. “It is important for us to make the right survey and start from the customer. We just don't look at product,” he emphasises.

Equally, Mimura does not make a big deal out of the intense competition in the Indian tyre arena which constantly worries about dumping from countries like China. “I do not see any difference here compared to other countries. We welcome healthy competition and know that we cannot grow without it,”

NEWS

Continental India Launcheslocally made passenger radials

ontinental AG, the German supplier that has businesses Cranging from powertrain to

interior, chassis and tyres, has begun production of passenger car tyres at its Modipuram plant.

The company's tyre division Continental India (which also includes a tyre tube unit at Partapur near Meerut) has separate production lines for passenger radials at its Modipuram facility that will see the rollout of two brands – Conti Max Contact MC5 and Conti Comfort Contact Cc5.

While the CC5 tyres are for compact and mid-sized cars, the MC5 range is targeted at high-end mid-size and executive segment cars. The company is in talks with potential

carmakers here, said executive board member, Nikolai Setzer, who unveiled the products at a Mumbai press meeting today.

Earlier this year, the company launched its truck radials from the same facility whose truck radial capacity is 220,000 units per annum. The passenger radial unit has a manufacturing capacity of 800,000 units per annum.

Continental's tyre business began in India way back in 2008 when it brought in products fully imported from its German plant. In 2011, it began its India journey in right earnest when it acquired a 100 percent shareholding in Modi Rubber which had a one million unit capacity for

cross-ply tyres for trucks and buses. At that time, Continental had invested to the tune of 50 million euros in its tyre business.

Prashant Kumar, Director (Marketing & Sales) Continental India, said that while the company will focus on local OEs, it sees potential in the aftermarket that is slated to grow at 7 percent CAGR from 2015. To support the passenger car operations, it has established a dealer network of 425 outlets that will sell the tyres alongside 30 dedicated brand shops. The Modipuram facility has a staff strength of 1,500 that work on both truck and passenger radials.

Continental's foray into passenger radials marks its entry into


NEWS


the heart of the business and with its huge capacity, the company hopes to play a key role going forward. It sent 100 employees to its facilities overseas for training in radial technology, top sources said.

With the new lines for passenger radials, the company has set the base for its OE business in India, says Setzer. The company's immediate priority is to focus on its team for its operations as well as dealerships. Top sources reiterated that Continental is committed to offering quality products and is not looking at numbers currently and market share targets. India's tyre market is dominated by the likes of

Ceat, MRF and Apollo Tyres, strong local players which have been joined by new players thanks to the entry of multinationals such as Michelin and Bridgestone. The Continental tyre brand is a relatively new brand in India and down the line, the company will look for ways to spread awareness of the range and quality. At present, a lot of brand awareness has been created through its international association with football, in particular the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil a few months ago.

Continental's tyres business has close to 200,000 employees across all its divisions. In 2013, its share of

tyre sales from Asia has been in the region of nine percent and top sources said the Asia part of the business will only increase in the years to come. The tyre division has 24 production and development locations globally and all R&D is centralised in Germany. The tyre division's sales in 2013 were worth euro 9.6 billion (Rs 73,584 crore).

Continental's association with Modi Rubber goes back to the early 1970s when it has a technical collaboration with the Indian company. The tyres were then marketed under the brand Modi-Continental.

SMART TRANSPORT

t is expected that by the year 2030, 40 percent of the Indian population Iwill become part of urban areas.

The massive urbanisation brings with it huge complexities and sustainability issues – especially for the fast- growing Tier 2 and 3 cities with unevolved infrastructure that is no longer fit to deal with the huge, and almost unimagined, inflow of people. It would entail radical overhauling of our infrastructure, public services and access to growth opportunities for the citizens.

In 2015, India took its first major step towards building safer, greener and intelligent metropolises

associated infrastructure over the period of next 20 years to achieve efficiency levels that are at par with global standards. Increased mobility and industrialisation would also mean severe pressure on the ecology, considering India is among the top contributors of CO2 emissions globally, with automobiles accounting for almost 50 percent of that. The cost imperatives are worth giving a thought too, bearing in mind that the country imports about 75 percent of its energy needs for transportation fuel.

For a country whose energy consumption is going to grow threefold

when the government announced its plans to develop 100 smart cities along with a host of urban renewal schemes. Major policy reforms and public-private partnerships are on the anvil, which will require huge investments in retrofitting, redevelopment as well as creation of satellite towns around the smart cities.

Urban transportation systems that are able to efficiently transport thousands of people within these cities would be the key enablers for the success of smart cities. It is estimated that we need an investment of $23 trillion for metro, rail, bus and other


'Urban transportation

systems that are able to efficiently

transport thousands of people would be

the key enables for the success of smart

citis!

India’s Smart cities Agendawill be imperative to driveTech-enabled transportation

SMART TRANSPORT

by 2040, there is a need to diversify its sources through innovative use of technology to transform into smart cities. How cautiously we manage our resources would be important to the sustainability and livability of these cities.

While we face technical and economic challenges ahead, these also provide us with unique opportunities to build indigenous alternative solutions that can be universally replicated.

I have broken down the major areas that urban transportation planners should consider while designing their mobility systems to achieve better efficiency and reduce dependence on energy imports:

Encourage use of hybrid fuel

According to the Indian Institute of Science, in a year each diesel bus emits as much as 77 tons of CO2. In contrast, adopting an electric bus leads to over

23.5 percent lower carbon emissions on a daily basis; and annually over 25 tons of CO2 emissions can be saved if we replace even a single diesel bus by an electric bus. The carbon benefits for electric buses are amplified if battery charging stations are powered by cleaner sources such as solar energy. In addition, encouraging personal vehicles and three-wheelers running on crude oil to convert to alternate energy, can significantly impact our carbon footprint.


SMART TRANSPORT


The good news is that the Indian government is already on a definitive track to introduce measures that address the nation's growing energy security concerns. With programs such as FAME India (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in India) – a part of the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan – the government is pushing up demand for vehicles running on hybrid and electric fuel.

Adopt intelligent transport systems

The occupancy in urban state transport (ST) buses is less than 55 percent today, and this is expected to dwindle further. This is leading to significant economic losses, which are further aggravated due to operational inefficiencies. Decreased ridership is attributed to many of the challenges faced by the passenger including unavailability of buses on schedule, long waiting time and lack of safety measures.

Global positioning systems (GPS) and cloud-based technologies can make such buses more viable by using integrated hardware and software wireless systems cloud-based solutions which emit data on vehicle location, vehicle health, driver behavior, and route. The data or intelligence collected from the bus to the command centre of the STUs can be used for taking corrective measures to improve vehicle safety and operational efficiency.

Such systems can also help in enhancing passenger convenience by

displaying real-time location of the scheduled bus at the stop/ terminal or on smartphone apps.

Introduce emergency response

It is reported that only 8 percent of the urban population in India uses public transport for their daily commute, and despite owning one percent of the world's vehicle population, India contributes to 15 percent of all accidents globally. Worst is the rate of accident victim survival – 6-10 percent in Indian cities, compared to the world's highest of 45 percent. This is largely due to lack of real-time communication with relevant agencies such as ambulance and fire brigade operators. Public transportation systems can considerably reduce mortality rates by introducing better connectivity with bus depots that can dispatch the nearest traffic police and medical health providers to the

emergency site in the shortest possible time.

Enable better monitoring of traffic control systems

India loses nearly Rs 60,000 crore every year due to traffic congestion because of low speed of freight vehicles and long waiting queues at toll plazas and checking points. At some stretches including the Mumbai-Chennai, Delhi-Chennai and Mumbai-Delhi corridor, the traffic crawls at an abysmal 20km per hour. To add to this, traffic departments often find it difficult to navigate traffic during emergencies due to lack of green corridor planning.

A lot of this chaos is possible to address, by enabling traffic police with advanced traffic prediction algorithms, vehicle traffic applications, surveillance systems and mobile-based apps that can process historic and real-time traffic volume data for operating traffic signals and sign boards dynamically, or even track traffic violators using automatic number plate recognition enabled by image processing algorithm.

To roll out each of these effectively, each city will require an exclusive approach and private-public partnerships with enterprises which have a profound understanding of the Indian context and can localise solutions using global best practices. ' B

y :

Rav

i P

andit

echnology is nothing but the application of knowledge to Tmeet practical needs. Green

technologies cover various technolo-gical aspects which help in reduction of human impact on the environment, and at the same time, it creates ways of sustainable development. Social balancing, economic viability and feasibility are the key factors for green technologies.

Today the environment is fast running towards the saturation point where we only see permanent irreversible damage to our planet. Inter-Governmental Panel studies on Climate Change suggest that it is not necessary that the climate would constantly change thereafter but once we reach the saturation point, entire atmospheric cycles may just flip and within next few decades earth might start to become completely dilapidated due to inconceivable climate situations. Our current actions are drawing the world towards an ecological catastrophe which would consequently make destruction simply unavoidable. Green technology is one approach that can save the earth and is actually important if we want to see future beyond two centuries. Green technology offers an escape from destruction.

The ecological stability is the primary and chief goal of human fraternity and hence active steps are being taken in the whole world for the faster growth of green technology sector. The green technology has been adopted by various big players as it helps in costs reduction and is easily available. The monetary support, as well as technological support, is being provided by the government to all big and small players in the sector. People involved in green technology sector are provided with great subsidies and

TECHNOLOGY

relaxations. Last year, India increased the subsidy for fitting rooftop solar power panels eightfold to 50 billion rupees in a bid to expand installations by a similar amount by 2020.

Since commercial and non-state entities receive benefits such as customs and exciseduty concessions

and accelerated depreciation, they are not eligible for the subsidy. The program aims to raise installations to 4.2 GW by March 31, 2020.

India has planned to install 100 GW of solar capacity by 2022. Out of this, 40 GW is anticipated to come from rooftop system. This includes


India-all set to revolutionisubsidized fittings too.

The Green Technology Sector has shown its growth and development in leaps in past few years. There are several reasons which validate this cause. A special support is given to the green technology sector by the government bodies as the goal of green

technology sector aligns with their vision. The weakening situation of the world environment with growing pollution and emissions has made the world cautious of the environment and evolution of green technology. Numerous activities have been organised to create responsiveness among masses about the conservation

of the environment. In order to conserve ecosystem, Government of India has started various projects to keep track of the nation's biodiversity parks and other natural resources.

Efforts are being made to make people aware of how their actions can be helpful, with a variety of activities

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se use of green technology


ranging from treeplantation drives to community clean-ups, car-free days, bird-watching trips, city park clean-up initiatives, exhibits, photo competitions on forests, green competitions, nationwide green campaigns and much more. The Government of India has been cons tant ly announcing programmes to ensure a clean environment for its people. India has also launched a Compensatory Afforestation according to which, any diversion of public forests for non-forestry purposes is compensated through afforestation in non-forested areas.

The Central government has even formed a body to look after this programme and to make environment conservation projects a success. India is one of the fastest developing economies in the world and it continues to be the leader in generating green technology. The government of India also decided to conduct an assessment of the impact of GDP

growth on ecology with the help of Green Accounting System.

Advantages of using green technologies are huge. One of the most desired goals of major global economies is to reduce carbon emission and to control temperature surge, which can be dealt with by the effective use of green technologies such as viable manufacturing, fuel effective transportation, green buildings, energy efficiency methods, paperless offices, waste reprocessing etc.

At the first meeting of the revamped high-level panel on climate change last year, Modi said that India must highlight its achievements in energy efficiency, conservation and clean energy and see what more and best can be done in these areas instead of just focusing on emissions and cuts. The Prime Minister also suggested setting up a consortium of nations with high solar energy potential. This consortium could partner with India on

innovation and cutting-edge research and studies to decrease the cost of solar energy in order to make it available to everybody. He recommended a review of syllabi in architecture and civil engineering colleges to include energy-efficient projects in a big way.

“Instead of focusing on emissions and cuts alone, the focus should shift on what we have done for clean energy generation, energy conservation and energy efficiency, and what more can be done in these areas,” the statement of the prime minister read.

He also asked for a cautious assessment of all the initiatives that have been taken by India in areas such as wind energy, solar energy, biomass energy, and transportation projects that have decreased distances or travel times. Recently, US-based energy innovation company Bloom Energy and state-run gas utility GAIL tied up to offer a novel technology for electricity

TECHNOLOGY


generation, green and reliable alternative provision to deal with abrupt power supply from the grid or diesel generators to its industrial and large urban consumers in India.

Important global clients of Bloom Energy - eBay, Walmart, Coca-Cola, Johnson & Johnson and FedEx and Intel in India use its state-of-the-art solid oxide fuel cells - called 'energy servers' - to fuel their operations. With a modular design, company's cell can easily install onsite and expand.Gas-based fuel cells produce electricity by initiating chemical reactions

between positively-charged hydrogen ions from the fuel and oxygen from the air or other oxidising agents. This is the main reason why fuel cells need a constant supply of fuel and oxygen/air to support the chemical reactions. A modular design makes Bloom Energy's cells easily deployable at consumption sites and expandable.

With the new technology, use of natural gas would widen, boosting the Modi government's goal of developing a gas-based economy as part of its policy to cut down the country's carbon footprint. A tie-up

with Bloom Energy would result in expansion of Gail customer base for its growing pipeline network. In the beginning, industries concerned about the quality of power and housing societies would be the target consumers.

Calling fuel servers as the representative of revolutionary technology that PM Modi dreamt of, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “the only challenge is cost and scale of the technology". He also said that he would propose a pilot project in Parliament complex. "Human and

TECHNOLOGY


TECHNOLOGY


B. C. Tripathi, Gail India Chairman

other bio-waste from the complex can be used for producing gas for feeding the fuel cells.”

GAIL chairman B. C. Tripathi claims the technology would be highly competitive against the fixed charges and high tariff paid by industrial consumers who also have to keep are serve of expensive power from generators and suffer the problem of maintenance.

Bloom Energy founder and CEO K R Sridhar said the cost of gas is one-third of the tariff of power from fuel servers, which can't event compete with solar or diesel gensets owing to their inconsistency. "Solar is inconsistent. We are talking of reliable, steady and quality power. Costs would further come down as we scale up," he said.

ABB commissions shore-to-ship green technology for V. O. Chidambaranar port

With the view to support government's Project Green Ports, ABB India has started a state-of-the-art solution for shore-to-ship power supply at V. O. Chidambaranar Port, Tamil Nadu.

In a statement, the company said this solution will expand the scope of the green agenda much beyond the renewable power to technology, enabling ships anchored at a port to plug for power instead of still running on pollution causing diesel generators which use expensive power. "The Indian grid delivers power at a frequency of 50 Hz. So ships, most of which adhere to European standards of 60 Hz, have to depend on onboard diesel generators for power. For an

average docking time of 60 hours for a commercial vessel at a port, the diesel generators produce a staggering 360 MT of carbon dioxide," said the statement.

ABB shore-to-ship technology supplies electricity from shore to the docked ships so that they can switch off their diesel engines which provide electricity for heating, lighting and refrigeration of the vessel. This would result in a reduction of greenhouse gas and noise discharges at the port. The technology also reduces low-frequency noises and vibrations, allowing the crew to maintain diesel engines while the ship is anchored. The V. O. Chidambaranar Port is one of the main twelve ports of the country which will implement several schemes related to the Project 'Green Port initiatives 'from time to time. By : Sapna Madan

RNI No. DELENG/2010/34105 Post Reg. No. DL(W)05/2231/2016-18 Post at RMS DelhiPublished on 25ft every month and postage on 5th of every next month.

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