Schools could lead India’s private bus transition, World Bank expert says
India's transition to zero-emission buses has so far been driven largely by public transport authorities (PTAs). However, public fleets represent only 8 to 10 per cent of the country's bus market, while private operators account for around 90 per cent or approximately 1.6 million buses. A broader transition in the bus segment will thus happen only when the private sector accelerates adoption.
Image: Sagar Parikh
Between 30 and 35 per cent of the 1.6 million privately operated buses in India are used for school transport and fall under the education institution category, pointed out Dr Laghu Parashar, Senior Transport Specialist at the World Bank, during a panel discussion on electrifying India’s school bus fleet at the India Clean Transportation Summit 2026. He highlighted the potential for school transport to be the first segment of the private bus market to see electrification at scale. “Given the opportunity, I think the school transportation will be the first mover in the private sector,” noted Parashar.
While the private bus market also includes intercity transport, staff, and tourist transport, Parashar identified two main reasons why school transport could be the early mover on the electrification front. One of the major challenges in adopting electric buses for private transport companies is land availability.
Most private bus operators run small fleets and do not own dedicated parking spaces, generally parking their buses by the roadside, under flyovers, or in rented spaces. Private operators therefore lack suitable locations to install charging infrastructure. Schools fare better in this regard because they typically have land available on their premises.
The second reason is the significantly lower range requirement. While buses used for intercity, tourist, and staff transport applications mostly cover triple-digit distances each day, Dr Parashar noted that school buses typically run just 50 to 60 kilometres daily. School buses also remain idle for several hours between their operating hours in the day, providing sufficient time to charge up even via an AC charger.
Vinoth Kumar R, the Head of Planning and Strategy at Switch Mobility, highlighted another reason school buses could lead electrification in the private sector. He said their gross vehicle weight (GVW) can be 1 to 1.1 tonnes lighter than that of regular city buses because their passengers are mainly children. He added that 70 per cent of school buses currently in operation in India have a seating capacity of 30 to 40 people and also that most school buses are ordered without AC. With lower weight, range, seating, and feature requirements, electric school buses can be far simpler and more cost-effective than models designed for other applications.
On the flip side, unlocking this potential will require greater OEM investment in developing purpose-built electric school buses. Kumar said OEMs need to work on customised solutions for electrification of school buses, adding that 30- and 40-seat models would be the “sweet spot” for this application.
Speaking further, Kumar stressed that OEMs and suppliers need to work together to make electric school buses more affordable, as they currently cost almost twice as much as comparable ICE models and schools will not be able to pay the premium. “We need to treat this as mainstream, a suite of products available for the customers, for the operators. And then, you know, we should go the full way. And only then will things come to an electrification on a much bigger scale,” said Vinoth Kumar R, Head – Planning and Strategy, Switch Mobility.
Haryana-based electric bus manufacturer PMI Electro Mobility Solutions, which has deployed over 3,300 units across more than 34 cities so far, has conducted pilot trials for school transport. But these trials showed that schools are unwilling to absorb any additional costs associated with the transition. “None of the schools is ready to incur even a single penny with the switchover from the ICE bus to an electric bus,” said C K Goyal, COO, SPV Operations, PMI Electro Mobility Solutions.
Besides land availability and high costs, the substantial investment required to set up dedicated charging infrastructure is another concern for private bus operators, particularly those serving schools. Such an investment may be financially viable only for schools operating a large fleet. “For a school which has 5 buses, 10 buses, to have an independent charging infrastructure is definitely not going to work. And it will only add to the cost,” said Rohit Bhan, Head of Strategy, Chartered Speed.
OEMs and industry specialists have welcomed the Delhi EV Policy in this regard. The national capital has made it compulsory for all schools to convert at least 30 per cent of their bus fleet, whether owned, leased, or hired, to electric models by 31 March 2030. To support this transition, Delhi is proposing to allow school buses to use charging facilities at public bus depots.
On a national level, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) is evaluating a new scheme that could potentially support 50,000 electric buses (and also 50,000 electric trucks). MHI is considering benefits such as subsidised loan interest rates, a partial credit guarantee mechanism, and interest subvention for charging infrastructure under the proposed scheme, reportedly with an outlay of 98.52 billion rupees (approx. 897 million euros).
Dr Parashar suggests that the central government should take a page from Delhi’s playbook and introduce a national mandate for electric school buses to accelerate the transition. According to a World Bank assessment currently under review, there could be around 90,000 private electric buses plying on Indian roads by 2030, with educational institutes, including schools, accounting for approximately 35 per cent of the volume. By 2035, the country’s private electric bus volume could approximately double to 180,000 to 190,000 units.
_Source: electrive at ICTS 2026_