Hitachi ZeroCarbon has announced a strategic partnership with JBM Electric Vehicles, a prominent player in the global electric vehicle ecosystem, to incorporate its ZeroCarbon BatteryManager into electric bus operations. This collaboration marks the debut of this innovative technology in the Indian market, offering valuable insights into the performance of electric transport in urban settings with varying climate conditions, helping to accelerate the adoption of clean, cost-effective transportation solutions.
India and the Middle East, known for their extreme weather fluctuations, present an ideal testing ground for assessing battery performance in challenging conditions. The ZeroCarbon BatteryManager will collect real-time data from a pilot fleet, providing valuable insights into charging behaviors, route optimization, and asset usage. This data will help enhance battery performance across diverse climates, aiming to maximize the residual value of batteries and improve total cost of ownership for fleet operators.
The collaboration between JBM Electric Vehicles and Hitachi ZeroCarbon is expected to result in a business model that demonstrates the viability of electric buses as a cost-efficient alternative to traditional diesel buses. The project will serve as a learning platform to refine the technology and provide a roadmap for wider deployment of electric buses in India, which can serve as a model for the rest of South Asia. The goal is to prove that electric buses can be a sustainable and cost-effective solution for urban transport systems.
Nishant Arya, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of JBM Auto, emphasized that this partnership will enhance the performance of batteries under varying environmental conditions, boosting the value of the assets for customers. He highlighted that this collaboration will allow JBM to enhance fleet operations, improving both battery performance and the total cost of ownership for public transport operators globally.
Ram Ramachander, CEO of Hitachi ZeroCarbon, highlighted that the partnership represents a significant milestone for their BatteryManager solution. The Indian market, with its diverse terrain and climates, is an ideal showcase for how their technology can help electric fleet operators optimize asset performance. This collaboration will help JBM Electric Vehicles maximize the usage and lifespan of their batteries, accelerating the transition to fleet electrification.
Dr. Bharat Kaushal, Corporate Officer at Hitachi, Ltd. and Executive Chairman at Hitachi India, also expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, noting that it marks an important step in advancing public transport decarbonization in India. The partnership underscores Hitachi’s commitment to sustainability, as it continues to support India’s technological transformation, improving lives through energy, IT, healthcare, urban mobility, and more.
This partnership also represents an opportunity for Hitachi ZeroCarbon to expand its solutions within the Indian market. In 2024, Hitachi helped the UK’s largest bus operator secure low-cost capital to purchase 1,000 electric buses. Now, with JBM Electric Vehicles, Hitachi aims to apply this successful model in India, addressing cost-related barriers and promoting zero-emission transport solutions.
JBM Electric Vehicles (P) Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of JBM Auto Ltd., is a leading global player in electric buses and the EV ecosystem. With the world’s largest dedicated electric bus manufacturing facility outside China, located in the Delhi-NCR region, JBM EV is at the forefront of the shift toward electric mobility. The company manufactures a wide range of electric buses, including city, intercity, luxury, and special-purpose vehicles, serving markets in India and abroad.
Hitachi ZeroCarbon specializes in decarbonizing commercial vehicle fleets by providing solutions to optimize battery performance, reduce risks, and lower total costs of ownership. Their BatteryManager platform leverages data analytics to optimize fleet efficiency and minimize operational costs. With over 8,000 vehicles involved in the Optimise Prime project, Hitachi continues to lead innovations in the electric vehicle sector, offering financing solutions to facilitate the transition to electric fleets globally.
