JBM Electric Vehicles (P) Ltd has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with commercial electric vehicle leasing platform Drivn for the supply of 500 electric buses, marking a collaboration aimed at supporting the adoption of electric mobility through integrated leasing and financing solutions. Under the agreement, JBM Electric Vehicles will supply 500 electric luxury buses over the next year in a phased rollout. The initial deployment will focus on intercity coach operations across India, with fleet operators gaining access to long-term leasing, financing, maintenance and charging infrastructure as part of an integrated ownership model.
The partnership is intended to reduce the upfront investment typically required for fleet electrification while simplifying vehicle management throughout the operating lifecycle. In addition to intercity transport, the two companies will explore opportunities in school transportation, employee mobility and airport transit services. The agreement comes as electric bus adoption continues to expand in India, supported by government initiatives promoting zero-emission public transport and the wider transition to cleaner mobility solutions.
Commenting on the partnership, Nishant Arya, Chairman of JBM Electric Vehicles, said, “The growth in electric bus deployment across India is creating new opportunities for fleet operators to transition to cleaner transportation. By combining our electric bus manufacturing capabilities with Drivn’s leasing and financing platform, we aim to make electric mobility more accessible while reducing financial barriers for operators. The collaboration supports our long-term objective of expanding sustainable public transportation and contributing to the country’s decarbonization efforts.”
Alpna Jain, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer of Drivn, said the partnership brings together vehicle technology and financing to support commercial fleet electrification. “Adoption of electric commercial vehicles depends not only on product availability but also on access to practical financing and operational support. Through this collaboration, we intend to provide fleet operators with a comprehensive solution that combines vehicle leasing, charging infrastructure and lifecycle management to facilitate the transition to electric mobility,” she said.
JBM Electric Vehicles entered the electric bus market in 2018 and has deployed more than 3,500 electric buses across domestic and international markets. The company expects its deployed fleet to exceed 5,000 buses over the next year. According to the company, its electric buses have collectively covered more than 450 million electric kilometres while serving over 1.5 billion passenger journeys.
The collaboration reflects the growing role of partnerships between vehicle manufacturers and financing providers in supporting large-scale commercial EV deployment. By combining manufacturing, leasing and fleet support services, JBM Electric Vehicles and Drivn aim to provide fleet operators with a structured pathway for adopting electric buses across multiple transportation segments.
JBM Electric Vehicles (P) Ltd, a subsidiary of JBM Auto Ltd, manufactures zero-emission electric buses and related mobility solutions. The company operates an integrated electric bus manufacturing facility in the Delhi-NCR region with an annual production capacity of 20,000 buses and offers electric buses for city, intercity, school, staff and special-purpose transport.
