Image: Government of MeghalayaEKA Mobility, a homegrown electric commercial vehicle company based in Pune, Maharashtra, supplied the five electric buses to Meghalaya. All five units are of the company’s smallest e-bus model, the EKA 7M.As indicated by its name, the EKA 7M is a seven-metre model, measuring 6,950 mm in length, 2.19 m in width, and 2.8 m in height, with a 4.3 m wheelbase. EKA Mobility offers it in two versions: one with a 2×1 seating layout and 19 seats, and another with a 2×2 seating layout and 22 seats. The five units deployed in Shillong feature the latter, according to a report from the Times of India.A 124 kW motor powers the EKA 7M, and it relies on a 100 kWh LFP battery pack. The seven-metre electric bus has a top speed of 75 km/h and can climb grades of up to 17 per cent. While EKA Mobility claims a range of 160 kilometres, the Times of India report states that it can travel 180 to 200 kilometres on a single charge. It features air conditioning and air suspension for enhanced comfort, as well as a foldable ramp to make boarding and alighting easier for people with mobility issues.Shillong’s first electric bus fleet has been deployed under the Indian government’s PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme. “The ultimate objective of this entire exercise is to determine how we can decongest Shillong and encourage people to use public transportation instead of relying on private vehicles,” said Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma.The Indian government plans to deploy 10,000 electric buses in 169 cities across the country under the PM e-Bus Sewa Scheme. The scheme provides 20 rupees per kilometre in operational support for seven-metre electric buses for ten years, or until March 2037, whichever is earlier. It also covers up to 100 per cent financial assistance for behind-the-meter power infrastructure and up to 90 per cent financial assistance for civil depot infrastructure for hilly state capitals like Shillong, both until March 2027.meghalaya.gov.in, indiatimes.com, ekamobility.com, gudm.gujarat.gov.in