In the article “India’s SMART City Plans Spawn
Innovative Ultra Electric Bus Concept from TATA” by Ed Stubbs (2016) states
that Tata's innovative Ultra Electric bus concept has emerged to aid in India's
SMART city development.
This design concept aims to shape the future of
India's SMART city and to be an iconic public transport that symbolises modern
India smart city. It also aims to give users a memorable experience while
taking public transport.
There are two key considerations in the design
appearance of the bus. First, the appearance of the bus has to reflect
that it is fully electric and was achieved by high impact highlights creating a
striking identity. Second, the bus has to reflect that it is an intelligent
mode of transport and was made possible by collaborating iconography from
electronic products, using bold graphics and colors, making it instantly
recognizable.
The interior design of the bus has included many
user-centric features. Many considerations were put in place from the driver’s
cockpit to the passenger compartment. Wi-Fi enabled and charging points at
every seat.
Tata has developed a unique feature on the bus
which is to build a protective exoskeleton around the passenger compartment for
the users to have a visual sense of protection. Tata has also developed a
graphic, using Indian architecture to make the bus as an icon of India.
While I agree with the article to
some extent, I believe that Tata’s ultra electric bus concept is not only just
a design concept which symbolises and shapes the future of India’s modern SMART
city but more importantly, it is also environmentally friendly and helps to
save costs that the article has failed to mention.
Firstly, the electric bus is
environmentally friendly as it uses solar power instead of diesel which helps
to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions (Indiaspend, 2016). The
absence of tailpipe exhaust fumes, silent running, and lower idling motor
energy losses at bus stops or traffic signals could make the electric bus one
of those technological options for urban India (Indiaspend, 2016). Also, the
electric bus improves the air quality in cities and thus the quality of air for
the inhabitants (Siemens, 2016). Ed Stubbs’s article focuses mainly of the key
features of the electric bus which only give readers an overview of the design
of the electric bus. The article should mention the positive impacts that the
electric bus have on the air quality environment in the cities.
Another reason why the ultra
electric bus concept would be successful as it generates more revenue by saving
costs. According to Indiaspend, electric buses generate 27% more revenue and
82% more profits than diesel buses per day. The maintenance and variable costs
of the electric bus are lower than its diesel cousin and its energy efficiency
is higher. Ed Stubbs’s article did mention about the benefits that the electric
bus will bring to the users in terms of the features like Wi-Fi and charging
points. However, the article did not analyse the long term cost savings such as the maintenance costs of having
an electric bus over a diesel bus which would benefit the people of India with regards to paying lower bus fares. With the lower bus fares that the people of India have to pay to board an electric bus compared to a diesel bus, they will definitely give their full support on India's SMART city development.
In conclusion, while Ed Stubbs’s
article promotes the key features of the electric bus which aims to symbolise
modern India’s SMART city, it is more important to discuss about the positive
impacts and long term benefits of having electric buses that would lead to an
environmentally friendly and cost savings for the people of India. Therefore, Tata
Motors and the people of India plays an important role of contributing to
India’s SMART city development.
References
Siemens (2016, August 17). Fully
electric city buses for environmentally friendly short-haul transport.
Retrieved from http://www.siemens.com/press/en/feature/2013/infrastructure-cities/rail-systems/2013-07-ebus.php?content[]=MO
Indiaspend (2016, March 21). IISc
Study Reveals That Electric Buses Earn 82% More Profit Than Diesel Buses.
Retrieved from http://www.thebetterindia.com/49637/electric-buses-vs-diesel-buses-iisc-study/
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