Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has announced the state's plan to procure 1,000 additional electric buses and 100 hydrogen-powered buses this year.
The announcement came as Sukhu flagged off 297 Type-I electric buses from Kyarighat in Solan district for deployment across Himachal Road Transport Corporation depots on 31 July.
With the addition of the 297 buses, the state's electric fleet has reached 500 vehicles.
The Chief Minister emphasised that electric buses offer significant financial advantages, with operational costs ranging from Rs 36-38 per km compared to Rs 76-86 for diesel buses.
The current electric buses have a range of around 200 km per charge, whilst the next generation will be capable of travelling 250 to 300 km on a single charge.
The government is actively considering the procurement as the next phase in its clean energy transition, aiming to reduce the impact of climate change whilst establishing the state as a leading green energy hub in the country.
Alongside the bus procurement, the Chief Minister launched the HimBus Plus Card, a digital initiative designed to promote smart public transportation across the state.