EKA, a subsidiary of Pinnacle Industries and an electric vehicle manufacturing and technology company, unveiled the EKA E9, a 9-meter pure electric and zero-emission bus. Because of its monocoque stainless steel chassis and complete composite structure, the E9, EKA’s first battery-electric bus, has a new streamlined vehicle design with maximised power and range. EKA E9 promises to deliver sustainability and profitability to all stakeholders with a lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) than existing Internal Combustion Engine-powered buses.

The bus was unveiled by Aaditya Thackeray, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Environment & Protocol, Govt of Maharashtra, and Dr. Sudhir Mehta, Chairman, EKA & Pinnacle Industries Limited at The Pune Alternate Fuel Conclave (AFC). It is an initiative of the Government of Maharashtra, organized by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) and Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), in association with the Maratha Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA).

EKA is dedicated to providing a solid platform for sustainable and efficient public transportation in cities around the world, as well as dependable and profitable operations for customers, with the launch of E9. As more people switch to electric vehicles, EKA’s E9 pure electric bus offers a one-of-a-kind, optimized, indigenous product made in India, complete with an innovative monocoque stainless steel chassis that ensures best-in-class corrosion-free life, low noise, and vibrations, a refined composite bus body design, and a focus on safety, profitability, efficacy, reliability, and performance.

Both the front and rear air suspensions on the EKA E9 are equipped with ECAS. The bus’s 2500 mm width, 31+D +Wheelchair (equipped with wheelchair ramp), and 31+D +Wheelchair (equipped with wheelchair ramp) provide ample space for passenger (seating + standing) movement. The low entry/exit steps are ergonomically designed with kneeling features and a minimum floor height of 650 mm, making them extremely comfortable and accessible for the elderly, children, women, and special needs passengers. Riders and drivers will enjoy a smoother ride thanks to improved ergonomics in the driver’s cockpit, auto-drive feature, power-assisted tilting and telescopic steering, and an all-in-one central console.

The EKA E9 is by far the most aesthetically designed commercial vehicle, with a smiley front layout, stylish waver side panel, and larger glasses for panoramic views, giving it a more welcoming and futuristic appeal. The EKA E9 is powered by an electric motor with a maximum power of 200 KW and torque of 2500 NM, providing faster acceleration, more horsepower, greater traction power, industry-leading reliability, and 17 percent gradeability to tackle any terrain. It also features a regenerative braking system.

The battery system is safe, durable, and efficient, thanks to an advanced chemistry powerful Li-Ion battery that is suitable for city operation. The EKA E9 also has an in-house designed vehicle control unit software with an integrated strategy for vehicle features.

The bus’s lightweight stainless steel monocoque chassis provides exceptional structural strength and durability, while the composite body panels, unlike traditional buses, are rust-free. Front and rear disc brakes with EBS, CCS2 protocol fast charger, 4 cameras, emergency stop button, fire extinguisher, and automatic driver assistance system are among the EKA E9’s best in class safety features (ADAS). The EKA E9’s low center of gravity ensures stability at high speeds and turns, and it’s simple to drive in congested city traffic.

EKA is a subsidiary of Pinnacle Industries, India’s leading automotive seating, interiors, and specialty vehicles company, and one of the few commercial vehicle manufacturers approved under the Government of India’s Auto PLI policy’s Champion OEM Scheme and EV component manufacturing scheme.

By developing sharable technologies, EKA is reinventing the design philosophy and manufacturing of electric commercial vehicles, democratising EVs with best-in-class TCO (total cost of ownership) solutions and a sustainable ecosystem. EKA will develop, manufacture, and sell a full range of electric, fuel cell, and alternative fuel vehicles. In the future, the brand will also house component assembly and manufacturing, electric vehicle traction systems, and electric vehicle energy storage systems, among other things.