Hitachi ZeroCarbon, has announced a partnership with JBM Electric Vehicles, a global EV Ecosystem player and leading electric bus OEM serving markets across India, Middle East, APAC and Europe, to integrate ZeroCarbon BatteryManager into electric bus transportation.
This partnership, with Hitachi, brings an unparalleled combination of skills and expertise to the Indian market for the first time. It will provide real-world insight into the performance and resilience of electrified transport in a high-demand urban environment, accelerating cost-effective and clean transport in Indian cities.
Varied seasonal conditions in India and Middle East, where weather can change from extreme heat to rains to near zero temperatures, makes it an ideal testbed to monitor and assess the performance of battery assets. Hitachi’s ZeroCarbon BatteryManager will be used to collect real-time data from the pilot fleet and deliver actionable insights regarding charging patterns, route optimisation and asset usage.
Commenting on the partnership, Mr. Nishant Arya, Vice-Chairman and Managing Director, JBM Auto, said: “We are pioneering zero emission public transportation globally, enabling passenger safety, comfort, affordability and innovation. This collaboration with Hitachi ZeroCarbon will enhance critical parameters for enhancing our battery performance proactively for each customer under different climatic conditions and leading to the highest residual value of the batteries. It will enable us to enhance the total cost of ownership (TCO) for the public transport operators and fleet owners for multiple applications across the world.”
The project will serve as a key learning platform that will see Hitachi ZeroCarbon create a class-leading business model for electric buses. The ambition is to prove that EVs can be as cost-efficient as traditional diesel buses. Upon trial completion, Hitachi will deliver a roadmap for broader deployment in India, creating a model that can further accelerate the transition to electrified transport across South Asia.
Ram Ramachander, CEO, Hitachi ZeroCarbon, said: “This is a landmark initiative for our ZeroCarbon BatteryManager solution. The Indian market is unique and an ideal showcase of how we can help electric fleet operators, manufacturers and innovators better understand the assets in their EV ecosystem and navigate operational constraints of different terrains and weather conditions. We look forward to building on to our learnings from other markets and assisting JBM Electric Vehicles to maximise their battery value and usage and achieve long-term success in fleet electrification.”
Dr. Bharat Kaushal, Corporate Officer, Hitachi, Ltd. and Executive Chairman, Hitachi India, said: “Hitachi’s businesses are playing a key role in the decarbonization of public transportation in India. This collaboration will enable JBM and Hitachi to develop an improved business model for deployment of electric buses across the globe. This is a crucial step in our journey towards building a more sustainable and equitable society for all.”
With over nine decades of unwavering partnership with India, Hitachi is being envisioned as an integral part of leading technological transformation of the nation connecting Humans with Humans with Technology. Touching billions of lives, Hitachi has been transforming the nation through its unparalleled solutions including Energy, IT, Healthcare, e-Education, Financial Inclusion and Urban Mobility.
This initiative also signals an opportunity for Hitachi ZeroCarbon to apply and scale its solutions in the Indian market. In 2024, it worked with First Group, the UK’s largest bus operator, to successfully facilitate access to low-cost capital so it could purchase 1,000 electric buses. Now, with JBM Electric Vehicles, it hopes to explore how this model can be applied locally, helping reduce barriers to entry and address cost constraints that can hinder the zero-emission transition.
