JBM EV introduces Ecolife e12 electric bus in Singapore

Indian electric bus manufacturer JBM Electric Vehicles (JBM EV) has launched the Ecolife e12 in Singapore. The company introduced it at the biennial Singapore Urban Mobility Week, which is taking place from 4 to 6 November this year.

Image: JBM EV

JBM EV says it is the first Indian company to have launched an electric bus in Singapore. Along with Nishant Arya, the company’s Chairman, Dr. Shilpak Ambule, India’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Dr. Shilpak Ambule, attended the Ecolife e12 launch.

The Ecolife e12 that JBM EV has launched in Singapore looks different compared to the versions it offers in India and European markets, and that is because the company had the bodywork for this version done by Malaysian bus body builder Gemilang Coachwork. The bus features an all-aluminium monocoque body, measures 12 metres in length, 2.6 metres in width, and 3.2 metres in height, and has a 5.9-metre wheelbase.

JBM EV says that the Singapore-spec Ecolife e12 is a low-floor model, but it has yet to disclose the floor height. The bus has electronically controlled air suspension with a kneeling function that lowers it by 60 mm, making it easier for passengers, particularly those with mobility challenges, to get on and off. It can carry 84 passengers, with 28 seats, two wheelchair spaces, and standing room for 54 people. It weighs 14 tonnes and has a gross vehicle weight rating of 19 tonnes.

A 250 kW motor powers this particular Ecolife e12, and it draws electricity from a 525 kWh battery that can be charged via two CCS2 ports, each rated at 300 amperes. JBM EV says it can achieve a top speed of 60 kph and travel 320 kilometres on a single charge. The company equips it with safety features such as Forward Vehicle Collision Warning Systems, Lane Departure Warning System, Pedestrian and Cyclist Collision Warning, Blind Spot Detection, driver drowsiness and distraction Warning, and a 360° camera system.

JBM EV has established its APAC headquarters in Singapore, and this office serves not only ASEAN markets but also Australia, New Zealand, and other parts of the region, Arya said at the Ecolife e12 launch. The company is present in 27 markets worldwide and has sold more than 4,000 electric buses, which have served over 1.5 billion passengers and collectively clocked more than 500 million kilometres, he added.

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