New Delhi: BlackBuck Electric Vehicles India Pvt Ltd and Chalo Mobility Pvt Ltd have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the proposed deployment of up to 300 premium and luxury electric buses across urban and intercity routes in the country, the companies said on Tuesday.
Under the partnership, BlackBuck EV will manufacture, supply and maintain premium electric buses in 9-metre, 13.5-metre and 15-metre configurations, while Chalo will deploy and operate the buses on premium intra-city and intercity routes using its digital mobility platform.
The collaboration brings together BlackBuck EV’s in-house electric bus engineering with Chalo’s expertise in passenger mobility, route operations and transport technology, including live bus tracking, digital ticketing, fare collection, passenger information and fleet management.
BlackBuck EV CEO and Founder Ramakrishnam Raju said the partnership combines the company’s ground-up electric bus platform, lightweight engineering and connected intelligence with Chalo’s digital and operational capabilities to create a scalable model for premium electric passenger mobility.
“Our partnership with Chalo will help accelerate the adoption of premium electric buses while enhancing passenger convenience through integrated technology and connected mobility solutions,” he said.
Chalo CEO and Co-founder Mohit Dubey said the partnership aligns with the company’s vision of building cleaner, smarter and more accessible public transport.
“Together, we aim to create world-class electric mobility solutions that can serve millions of passengers while improving public transport across urban and intercity routes,” he said.
According to the companies, the integration of Chalo’s passenger-facing technology with BlackBuck EV’s connected buses will offer commuters a seamless travel experience, from journey planning and ticket booking to onboard services.
BlackBuck EV’s electric bus portfolio includes the 9-metre VIRO 2X for city operations, the 13.5-metre ELON 2X for premium intercity travel and the 15-metre ELON 3X multi-axle electric bus for luxury long-distance services.
The buses are built on the company’s proprietary skateboard chassis architecture with an aluminium-composite spaceframe and feature lightweight construction, premium interiors, connected diagnostics, real-time telematics and long-range electric capability.
Chalo Co-founder Priya Singh said expanding premium electric bus services would help reduce emissions, lower operating costs and encourage more people to shift from private vehicles to public transport.
The companies said the partnership will also leverage vehicle and operational data for preventive maintenance, improved fleet availability, route optimisation and enhanced passenger services.
BlackBuck EV Director and Co-founder Ravi Mudunuri said India’s premium bus segment is witnessing growing demand for comfort, quality and sustainability, and the collaboration with Chalo is expected to support wider adoption of electric buses.
Chalo Business Head Arun Gidroniya said his visit to BlackBuck EV’s manufacturing facility highlighted the buses’ spacious interiors, independent suspension, lightweight design and long-range capability, adding that integrating them with Chalo’s technology platform would offer passengers a more convenient and connected travel experience.
The companies said the proposed deployment is expected to support India’s transition towards cleaner and smarter public transportation while improving the quality of urban and intercity passenger mobility.