Exploring Cost Effective Fleet Electrification Possibilities for Public Transit Services in Kutch Region

Abstract

The extensive use of fossil fuels in transit buses has led to both environmental problems and fuel scarcity. Renewable energy has emerged as a potential solution to mitigate these issues. Many countries worldwide have already adopted renewable energy to address these challenges. Similarly, the Indian government has initiated e-vehicle adoption in various sectors through subsidies to reduce dependence on conventional fuels. This research investigates two key areas: Fuel consumption dependency and air quality impact assessment for diesel-operated public buses (GSRTC) and Exploring fleet electrification possibilities. The recent significant rise in fossil fuel costs has exposed the inherent conflicts between achieving net-zero goals, ensuring energy security, and maintaining affordability. This research employs a three-stage energy modeling methodology: Route energy planning, charging infrastructure planning and total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis. This study explores the potential for fleet electrification at the Mundra depot, aiming to replace existing diesel-powered internal combustion engines (ICEs) with environmentally friendly electric vehicles (EVs). A total of 18 buses from the Mundra depot, covering 22routes with 103 trips, were surveyed. An optimal route requiring minimal energy was prioritized. Based on this and a minimum state-of-charge requirement of 25%, five buses were chosen for further study. An analysis of annual capital costs for both ICE diesel and electric buses was conducted, considering bus capitalization, battery capitalization, charging infrastructure, and annual operation costs. The findings revealed that the TCO for an EV bus is significantly lower than that of a diesel bus (49.64 Rs/km vs. 72.80 Rs/km).