MSRTC Says Entire Bus Fleet May Turn Electric by 2037

By Jony Shekhawat | Published Date : March 17, 2026

Maharashtra plans a long-term shift to electric buses as the state transport corporation prepares to gradually replace its large diesel fleet over the coming years.

A new plan for Maharashtra’s public transport has been discussed in the state council. The idea is to slowly move the government bus system toward electric vehicles.
Transport minister Pratap Sarnaik said the aim is to convert the full bus fleet of the state transport body into electric buses by the year 2037. The change will not happen immediately. Officials say it will take many years because the fleet is very large.

How Big Is the Fleet?

Table of Contents

1. How Big Is the Fleet?

2. Replacement Will Take Time

3. Earlier Diesel Bus Plan Stopped

4. Preordered Diesel Buses Delivery

5. Requirement Of Charging Network

6. Support Of the State EV Policy

7.

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The MSRTC runs a big fleet of buses in India. Currently, MSRTC is running 22000 buses. These buses include intercity, tourist buses and city passenger buses. Gradually, MSRTC will remove these buses with new electric buses. 

Only a few of them are electric for now. Government officials say around 800 electric buses are already operating.

Replacement Will Take Time

Officials explained that the older buses will be removed after completing their service life. When new buses are added to the fleet the fleet will get electric vehicles. This means the fleet will change. It will change over time. The fleet is really big so it will take a time to change. It could take, than ten years for the fleet to change to electric vehicles. The fleet will have electric vehicles as time goes on.

Earlier Diesel Bus Plan Stopped

A years back the state had a different plan. The transport department used to buy five thousand diesel buses every year. Now they want to get buses because they are better for the environment. The government wants to get electric buses in the future because electric buses are a good way to go. The state is going to get more electric Tata School buses to help the environment.

Preordered Diesel Buses Delivery

Some diesel buses are still going to be added to the fleet. The officials said that they have already ordered around 8,000 diesel buses. These diesel buses will still be delivered because the orders were placed a while back. After that, the focus may shift more strongly toward electric vehicles.

Requirement Of Charging Network

The government wants to run thousands of buses. To do this, they need a network of charging stations for these electric buses. So they are planning to build charging stations at places where the buses are kept and on roads where the electric buses will be running. They also think it is an idea to use solar power at some of these places to save money on electricity for the electric buses.

Support Of the State EV Policy

The state government has already informed that the MSRTC policy 2025 will promote electric mobility. This policy will help to get tax incentives and toll relief benefits. These electric vehicles will get toll waivers on big highways like the Mumbai–Pune Expressway, the Samruddhi Mahamarg and the Atal Setu.

Progress So Far

Even though the plan looks ambitious, the rollout has been slow so far. Earlier, MSRTC had aimed to introduce more than 5,000 electric buses by 2025. But only around 600 have been delivered till now.

Officials say such a large change takes time. Still, the long-term direction of the transport system is now clearly moving toward electric buses.

Read More: India Auto Industry Reports Strong February With Higher Production and Sales

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Frequently Asked Questions on Commercial Vehicles

Q1. What is the average mileage of commercial buses in India?

Ans. Mileage depends on the engine size and route conditions. Many diesel commercial buses usually deliver around 3 to 5 km per litre, while CNG buses may give slightly different efficiency.

Q2. What is the seating capacity of a standard commercial bus?

Ans. Seating capacity depends on the bus type. City buses usually have around 30–40 seats, while larger intercity buses can have about 40–55 passenger seats.

Q3. What types of engines are commonly used in commercial buses?

Ans. Commercial buses mostly use diesel engines, but many manufacturers also offer CNG, LNG and electric powertrains depending on the operating requirement and fuel availability.

Q4. What is the usual price range of commercial buses in India?

Ans. Prices vary widely depending on size and features. Small staff or school buses may start around ₹15–20 lakh, while large intercity or luxury buses can cost ₹40 lakh or more.

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