Indian coach operator Prasanna Purple to deploy 100 electric intercity coaches through DRIVN’s operating lease model

DRIVN and Prasanna Purple have partnered to deploy 100 electric intercity coaches across major transport corridors in India.

DRIVN is an electric commercial vehicle leasing platform while Prasanna Purple Mobility Solutions Private Limited is one of India’s leading private intercity bus operators. The vehicles will be operated through a long-term operating lease model. The first vehicles are scheduled to enter service from July-August 2026, initially operating on corridors including Mumbai-Pune, Bangalore-Chennai and Hyderabad-Vijayawada. Additional routes are currently being evaluated as the deployment progresses, the partners state

The agreement is aimed at supporting the electrification of India’s private intercity bus sector through an asset-light financing model that allows operators to introduce zero-emission vehicles without significant upfront capital expenditure.

Although the brand of the vehicles is not specified in the press note, it should be noted that in mid-July DRIVN announced a partnership with Indian manufacturer JBM Electric Vehicles covering the deployment of 500 electric buses through its operating lease model, reportedly targeting intercity services across India.

DRIVN to lease 100 electric coaches to Prasanna Purple

Under the agreement, DRIVN will acquire and lease the electric coaches to Prasanna Purple through its long-term operating lease model while providing long-term fleet support.

In brief

• How many vehicles are included in the agreement?
  The partnership covers the deployment of 100 electric intercity coaches.
• When will the first buses enter service?
  The first batch is scheduled to be deployed from July-August 2026.
• Which routes will be served initially?
  Initial operations will include the Mumbai-Pune, Bangalore-Chennai and Hyderabad-Vijayawada corridors.
• How are the vehicles being supplied?
  DRIVN will provide the coaches through a long-term operating lease model.

The company positions itself as a financial and operational platform for heavy commercial electric mobility, combining vehicle ownership with services including charging infrastructure planning, battery lifecycle management, fleet operations and end-of-life asset management. Its proprietary technology platform is designed to support operators seeking to scale electric fleets across passenger transport and logistics applications.

Electric intercity operations set to expand

Prasanna Purple operates one of India’s largest private intercity coach networks through its Purple Bus platform, currently running more than 175 daily schedules. The company states that the partnership with DRIVN is expected to support expansion to approximately 350 daily intercity services.

Beyond scheduled coach services, Prasanna Purple manages a fleet of more than 1,000 buses across intercity transport, employee mobility, school buses and charter operations. The company also deploys digital tools for booking, real-time vehicle tracking and fleet management.

“Large-scale commercial electrification requires business models that make the transition commercially viable for operators. Our business model is designed to enable adoption by providing appropriately predictable, competitive and long term capital. Operators are also increasingly using our proprietary tech stack to increase their revenue and manage their electric fleet,” said Alpna Jain, Co-founder and Chief Business Officer, DRIVN.

“Electrification at scale is no longer a question of if, but of who leads the transition. Through our collaboration with DRIVN, we are taking an important step towards building a cleaner and more sustainable future for intercity travel. We believe electric mobility can deliver the reliability, comfort and operational efficiency passengers expect while creating a model that can accelerate adoption across the industry,” added Saurabh P. Patwardhan, Director, Prasanna Group.