Hyderabad, Nov. 15 -- About 250 Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) buses are being retrofitted to electric buses, a move that would significantly lower operating costs.

The diesel-to-electric revamp could save nearly Rs 20 per kilometre compared with conventional buses, which cost around Rs 80 to 85 per kilometre to operate.

Around 200 buses are being retrofitted at the Uppal workshop, 40 at a Miyapur workshop and 10 at a workshop in Karimnagar. The vehicles will be fitted with advanced 300 kWh lithium-ion battery packs, enabling them to cover approximately 230 to 250 km on a single charge.

Despite charging being restricted to 80 per cent to improve battery longevity, the buses are expected to cover the aforementioned ...