Partners Launch Electric and Hybrid Bus JV in India

Indian auto parts maker JBM Auto Ltd. and Poland’s Solaris Bus & Coach SA have launched a $45 million joint venture in India to make electric and hybrid buses for the Indian market.

The partners will offer the buses under the Ecolife brand in 9- and 12-meter lengths. They will manufacture the vehicles at a plant in Kosi that has capacity to make 2,000 units per year.

India’s luxury bus market buys about 50,000 luxury buses per year, according to JBM. It notes that electrified buses will support the government’s goal of making India’s vehicle market 100% electric by 2030.

JBM is part of the $1.2 billion JBM Group, which has 35 manufacturing plants and four engineering and design centers in 18 global locations. JBM Auto supplies auto parts to such carmakers as Fiat, Ford and Honda. The company also makes low-floor intra-city CNG and diesel buses under the Citilife brand through a three-year-old venture with Italian busmaker BredaManaribus.

Solaris, which was formed in 1996, is a major European producer of city, intercity and special-purpose trams. The company sells more than 12,000 vehicles per year in 29 countries.