Kochi Metro Rail’s Metro Connect service is testing how electric buses can improve first- and last-mile connectivity and make public transport more accessible across Kerala, Construction World reported.
Launched in January 2025, the service started with 15 air-conditioned electric buses, each with a capacity of 33 passengers. The buses connect residential areas and important destinations with the Metro and Water Metro networks.
The service currently operates on six routes, covering around 2,300 km every day. During its first year, the fleet travelled nearly 700,000 km and carried around 1.4 million passengers.
Routes include connections between Aluva and Cochin International Airport, Kalamassery and Medical College, and High Court and MG Road, along with other major residential and employment centres.
The initiative aims to reduce dependence on autorickshaws, taxis and private vehicles by providing electric feeder buses as part of the wider public transport network.
Kochi Metro Rail had earlier operated electric feeder buses but faced challenges including low passenger numbers, operational inefficiencies, charging limitations and unproductive vehicle travel. The agency later took greater control over the fleet and began using ticketing data, vehicle tracking information and charging records to improve routes and services.
This optimisation has reportedly increased ridership and revenue by 15 per cent.
Data from the project indicates that passengers have shifted to the feeder service from autorickshaws, taxis, longer bus journeys and private vehicles. Such a shift can increase the environmental benefits of electric public transport when it replaces journeys made using private cars and fossil-fuelled autorickshaws.
However, the project also highlights that electric vehicles alone cannot address issues such as traffic congestion, battery waste and increasing vehicle ownership.
Kochi Metro Rail is considering adding another 15 to 17 electric buses to improve connections between the Metro and Water Metro networks.
The service began with seven charging stations and a dedicated depot, with charging requirements incorporated into route planning. The relatively small scale of the operation allows the operator to assess passenger behaviour, route performance and energy use before expanding the service, potentially providing Kerala with a model for cleaner and better-connected public transport.
