Chennai: Tata Motors, India’s heavyweight in commercial vehicles, has inked a high-voltage MoU with Green Energy Mobility Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (GEMS), the freshly charged electric mobility arm of Universal Bus Services (UBS). The deal will see Tata supplying 100 Magna EV intercity coaches—essentially giving long-distance travel in South India a quiet, clean, and futuristic makeover.
The agreement was signed at Passenger Vehicle Expo 2.0 in Chennai, in the presence of Dr. T.R.B. Rajaa, Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Government of Tamil Nadu, government delegates, and members of the All Omni Bus Owners Association (AOBOA)—all of whom seemed relieved that the days of snoring diesel engines and smoky bus stands may finally be numbered.
“Tamil Nadu continues to lead the way in clean mobility innovation,” said Dr. Rajaa. “With Tata’s electric coaches, we’re turning bus journeys into greener, cleaner road trips, where the loudest sound will be the passenger munching on chips.”
Universal Bus Services, already a familiar name in premium intercity travel, is now steering into the EV lane with GEMS. Sunil Kumar Ravindran, Managing Partner at UBS, couldn’t hide his enthusiasm: “This MoU is like upgrading from cassettes to Spotify. Quieter, smoother, more comfortable—and with zero emissions. Long-distance bus travel in South India will never be the same again.”
Tata Motors’ Vice President & Head of Commercial Passenger Vehicle Business, Anand S, added with confidence: “The Magna EV has been developed with customer feedback and rigorous testing. It’s not just a bus; it’s an intercity lounge on wheels—minus the carbon footprint.”
The Magna EV packs up to 300 km of range per charge, a 44-seater layout designed for comfort, and tech-heavy safety features like Electronic Braking System (EBS) and Electronic Stability Control (ESC). In other words, no matter how winding the ghat section, passengers will likely stay upright and comfortable.
With over 3,600 Tata EV buses already clocking more than 34 crore clean kilometres across 11 cities, the Magna EV is set to take Tata’s electric highway dominance intercity. And with its Fleet Edge connected platform, operators can monitor buses in real time—though hopefully not while streaming the driver’s favourite playlist.
In short, Tata Motors has ensured that the future of Indian bus travel is not just greener and cleaner, but also quieter—except, of course, for that one passenger who insists on watching movies without headphones.
