The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) is in consultation with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for electric ambulances to be subsidised under the Prime Minister Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) Scheme in which it has allotted ₹.500 crore for the subsidies.
“We have done two consultations with them (Ministry of Health) and another consultation will be done soon for the guidelines. We are looking at companies who are interested for electric ambulances,” a senior official at MHI told businessline.
According to sources, companies like Force Motors, Maruti Suzuki India, Tata Motors and Toyota Kirloskar Motor are interested in manufacturing e-ambulances under the PM E-DRIVE scheme. Force Motors, Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors did not respond to queries in this regard.
“Actually no company is manufacturing e-ambulances as yet, so we are in talks with the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as companies like Force Motors, Maruti Suzuki India, Toyota Kirloskar Motor and Tata Motors are already in this space (ambulances),” said the official.
Most of the OEMs have patient transport ambulances like of Maruti Suzuki Eeco, but ambulances of Force Motors and Tata Motors are of fully equipped with ventilators, etc and are more in demand.
“Force Motor said they are ready to manufacture the e-ambulances and others have said they will explore this space, like what is the demand for e-ambulances,” the official added.
Third-party companies
According to sources, most of the ambulances are not owned by the hospitals, but they have partnerships with third-party companies such as GVK EMRI, apart from local firms in each city.
Sources in the industry said that the government has to quicken the process of making the guidelines on rolling out the e-ambulances at the earliest because the scheme is valid only for two years and development of the vehicles then sending for standardisation, and approval take time before the roll out.
The PM E-DRIVE scheme was implemented from October 1, and it is valid till March 31, 2026. It was launched for various categories including e-2 wheelers (e-2Ws), e-3 wheelers (e-3Ws) including registered e-rickshaws and e-carts and L5, e-ambulances, e-trucks, e-buses, charging infra and upgradation of testing agencies, with a total outlay of ₹10,900 crore.
Last month, HD Kumarawamy, Minister of Heavy Industries had said that the new initiative of government to promote use of e-ambulance is for a comfortable patient transport. “The performance and safety standards of e-ambulances will be formulated in consultation with Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and other relevant stakeholders,” he had said.