Travel platform ixigo has invested Rs 26 crore into FreshBus, a green inter-city transportation business that claims to revolutionise the traditional bus experience in India. Aloke Bajpai, the group chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of ixigo, announced the investment through a tweet, along with the vision to build India's leading green transportation business for inter-city bus travel with next-generation long-range EV buses.
The Twitter thread talked about the existing inter-city bus travel system in India which is plagued with problems such as noisy and dirty buses, lack of punctuality, unscheduled stops, unprofessional staff/drivers, poor cleanliness, inconvenient boarding points and poor unit economics. FreshBus seeks to change this with a pan-India network of EV-based buses that will provide a safe, reliable, affordable, comfortable and environment-friendly mode of inter-city travel.
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The vision behind FreshBus is to build a pan-India network of EV-based buses that will offer a safe, reliable, affordable, comfortable and environment-friendly inter-city travel. With improving road connectivity, why should traveling on buses feel any different from flight ?
The company aims to launch 24 top-of-the-line EV buses with a range of 375 km initially and scale it up to over 1000 buses across India within the next 2-3 years. The buses will offer noise-free air-conditioned cabins, comfortable seating, uniformed and friendly crew, IOT-enabled real-time air-quality or temperature monitors, CCTVs, charging points, Wi-Fi and more.
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In addition to improving the passenger experience, FreshBus will significantly impact the environment. Each bus is estimated to save over 90,000 liters of diesel, reducing close to 200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions in one year, which is equivalent to planting 10,000 trees.
Ixigo's investment into FreshBus is fully financed from internal accruals. The company's positive operating cash flows from this year YTD were more than this investment. This shows the confidence that the company has in the FreshBus business model and its potential to revolutionize the inter-city bus travel industry in India.
The investment also highlights the growing interest in green technology and environmentally friendly modes of transportation. With the increasing concern for the environment, businesses that focus on sustainable and eco-friendly solutions are gaining momentum. FreshBus aims to lead the way in the inter-city bus travel industry in India by providing a clean, efficient, and comfortable experience.
In conclusion, Ixigo's investment into FreshBus is a significant step towards creating a sustainable and eco-friendly inter-city bus travel experience in India. With a focus on green technology and a commitment to improving the passenger experience, FreshBus has the potential to revolutionize the inter-city bus travel industry in India.
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