Tata Motors developing eco-friendly city buses

Tata Motors, India's largest automaker, is working on hybrid city buses that will provide eco-friendly transportation solutions for Indian cities. The company has already developed the electric version of its flagship passenger car `Indica.'
 
According to Tata Motors managing director (India) Prakash M Telang, the work on developing hybrid city buses which would provide a better public transportation solution has been going on for quite some time. He, however, refused to give a time frame for the launch as also the current stage of development.

Replying to a question as to whether the company would showcase the product at the Delhi Auto Expo next month, Telang said the automaker had lined up surprises for the Expo in which it will showcase some concept cars and some ready products. He said it was too early to talk about it.

Sources say Tata Motors is working on developing a series of hybrid buses on the lines of LCV and high capacity bus platforms.
 
The city buses would be aimed at urban mass transportation and would conform to Bharat Stage IV emission norms, they said, adding that the buses may incorporate systems that will allow them to burn either diesel or CNG as alternate fuel.

Tata Motors is also working with a Norwegian firm to launch the electric Indica in the UK, Norway and Denmark by 2011, which will also mark the car's global launch. The domestic launch of the electric version is also expected to happen at around the same time.