Bengaluru's Electric Bus Ambitions Hit by Persistent Reliability Issues
Bengaluru's transition to electric public transport is facing significant operational challenges, with the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) reporting an alarming average of 100 daily breakdowns in its electric bus fleet during the October to December 2025 period. This represents approximately 6% of the total electric fleet of 1,700 buses experiencing failures each day, raising serious questions about vehicle reliability and operational efficiency.
Breakdown Statistics Reveal Systemic Problems
Data obtained for the three-month period shows nearly 9,000 total breakdowns occurred, with a staggering 65% attributed to battery and related electrical issues. The BMTC currently operates 7,100 buses in total, comprising 5,300 diesel vehicles and 1,730 electric buses. The frequency of failures in the electric fleet has prompted the state government to formally raise concerns with the central government about the operational performance of these vehicles.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy has written to Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, highlighting how these persistent breakdowns have inconvenienced commuters and caused substantial revenue losses for the corporation. This marks his second communication to the Centre on this issue within five months, indicating the seriousness of the situation.
Private Operators and Contractual Challenges
Under the Centre's Gross Cost Contract (GCC) model, BMTC operates its 1,700 electric buses through four private operators: Switch Mobility Automotive, NVVNL, TML Smart City Mobility, and OHM Global Mobility. Each operator manages fleets ranging from 90 to over 1,000 buses. Despite repeated warnings and financial penalties, the state government maintains there has been no significant improvement in operational efficiency.
Private operators have countered by pointing to external factors contributing to the reliability problems. They cite Bengaluru's notorious traffic congestion, poor road conditions, and heavy passenger loads during peak hours as significant stress factors affecting vehicle performance. Contractually, each bus is supposed to operate 200-220 kilometers daily, but actual performance ranges between 170-190 kilometers, resulting in numerous missed trips and schedule disruptions.
Detailed Breakdown Analysis by Operator
The October-December data reveals specific performance gaps across operators:
- Switch Mobility Automotive recorded 4,961 breakdowns, compared to 10,704 between April and September
- NVVNL reported 1,186 breakdowns, up from 602 in the previous period
- TML Smart City Mobility showed improvement with 180 breakdowns against 1,876 earlier
- OHM Global Mobility logged 205 breakdown complaints, up from 144
Interestingly, non-battery related breakdowns also remained significant. TML Smart City Mobility reported 1,179 such incidents (up from 735), Switch Mobility with 1,013 (up from 173), OHM Global Mobility with 172 (down from 378), and NVVNL with 99 (up from 84).
Scheduled Kilometer Cancellations and Safety Concerns
The breakdowns have directly impacted service reliability, with cancellation of scheduled kilometers remaining high across operators:
- Switch Mobility: 13% cancellation rate (up from 9.8%)
- OHM Global Mobility: 7.7% (down from 8.8%)
- TML Smart City Mobility: 5.6% (up from 4.4%)
- NVVNL: 4.9% (down from 7.5%)
The data also raised safety concerns, with instances of mobile phone usage by crew increasing to 70 cases for TML (from 33), 26 for OHM (from 21), and 18 for Switch Mobility (from 10). Cases of drunk and rash driving were highest for TML at 207 (up from 160), followed by OHM at 85 (up from 26) and Switch Mobility at 63 (up from 24).
Technical Challenges and Infrastructure Demands
An official from one of the operators explained that lithium-ion batteries typically degrade by 4% annually under normal conditions. However, Bengaluru's specific challenges—including bumper-to-bumper traffic, frequent acceleration and braking cycles, and high passenger loads—accelerate energy draw and significantly reduce effective range.
Additional technical issues cited include potholes and speed breakers affecting high-voltage components, summer heat straining battery cooling systems, and waterlogged roads during monsoon seasons causing electrical faults.
Future Expansion and Government Response
Minister Reddy emphasized that under the PM-eDrive scheme, BMTC is scheduled to receive 4,500 additional electric buses in the coming years. He stressed that existing concerns must be comprehensively addressed before finalizing tenders for the next batch of vehicles.
The minister underscored the need to examine multiple factors including battery performance, bus-to-driver ratios, and financial implications arising from operators' inability to adhere to contractual terms. In preparation for the expanded fleet, BMTC plans to invest between ₹400 crore and ₹500 crore to upgrade depots and related infrastructure.
The reliability crisis comes at a critical juncture for Bengaluru's public transportation system, which began integrating electric buses in late 2019 as part of national efforts to reduce land transport pollution. The current challenges highlight the complex interplay between technological adoption, urban infrastructure, and operational management in India's transition to sustainable mobility solutions.
