Keto Motors, a commercial electric vehicle manufacturer based out of Hyderabad. It has taken its first step into the electric bus segment in India with the unveiling of the Urbanova KE9. It is a 9-meter long electric bus meant for urban and institutional transportation purposes. The event took place on August 3rd in Hyderabad and was also accompanied by the ceremonial delivery of the first bus to its operator.

Keto Motors is an Indian company that was founded in 2018. But the company can trace its origins back to the same team of people who helped lay down the foundations of the electric bus market in India. As per the company, their new product is a result of years of experience in electric buses, including engineering, manufacturing in India, and technology partnerships overseas.

G. Kishan Reddy Garu, Hon'ble Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Government of India, said, "I am delighted to unveil Telangana-based KETO Motors' first commercial electric bus and participate in this landmark occasion. Under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, India is making significant strides in manufacturing, innovation, green energy and sustainable mobility. This launch reflects the growing strength of our indigenous manufacturing capabilities and our commitment to building an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Electric mobility is central to enhancing energy security, reducing emissions and strengthening technological self-reliance. It is encouraging to see Telangana-based enterprises contributing to this national mission by developing indigenous mobility solutions that strengthen public transport, create employment and support sustainable growth. I congratulate KETO Motors on this achievement and wish the company continued success in advancing sustainable mobility and contributing to the vision of a Viksit Bharat."

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Urbanova KE9: Key Features

Urbanova KE9 is specially designed to operate for urban and institutional transportation purposes. This electric vehicle is 8,985 mm long, 2,532 mm wide, and 3,189 mm high and provides up to 31 passenger seats. This vehicle has a height of 900 mm to ensure easy boarding by passengers.

Some important features of this Urbanova KE9 include:

  • Range of over 150 km under fully loaded conditions.
  • Top speed of 80 km/h.
  • Electro-hydraulic steering.
  • Anti-lock braking system (ABS).
  • Regenerative braking.
  • Disc brakes to provide better safety and efficiency of operations.

This bus model has been granted the CMVR Type Approval certification from the Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC).

Y. Nagi Reddy, Managing Director, Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC), said, “The Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) is committed to accelerating the transition towards sustainable public transport. We currently operate 10,201 buses, including 1,050 electric buses, serving nearly 60 lakh passengers every day. With plans to induct 800 electric buses by December this year and another 1,400 by December next year, we are moving towards deploying around 3,000 electric buses in Hyderabad, which will significantly reduce carbon emissions from city bus operations. We believe capital subsidies for electric bus procurement will help State Road Transport Corporations accelerate this transition, while greater collaboration between RTC, Metro Rail and private mobility operators will be crucial to improving public transport and last-mile connectivity. Telangana's EV incentives have further supported clean mobility adoption, and we are confident that cleaner transport technologies will help reduce urban pollution in the coming years."

Digital Fleet Management and Global Tech Collaboration

Apart from the unveiling of the vehicle, Keto Motors launched its comprehensive digital fleet management solution, KETO Connected. It was built in collaboration with ROQIT. This solution allows fleet managers to use vehicle health monitoring, battery analytics, remote diagnostics, predictive maintenance, and more to ensure efficient operations and low-cost operations.

Moreover, Keto Motors also entered into a partnership with TRON Energy Technology, an electric bus manufacturer based in Taiwan. Under this agreement, the organization will have access to cutting-edge battery systems, liquid-cooled battery technology, Battery Management System (BMS), connected vehicle technologies, powertrains, and chassis engineering expertise, all of which will help it build globally competitive electric buses suited for Indian driving conditions.

Venkatesh Challa, Director, Keto Motors Limited, said,"The launch of the Urbanova KE9 represents much more than the introduction of a new electric bus. It marks the beginning of Keto Motors' next phase of growth as we work towards building a comprehensive commercial mobility ecosystem for India. Our vision goes beyond vehicle manufacturing to integrating advanced engineering, connected technologies, charging infrastructure and digital fleet management into a single platform. By combining indigenous manufacturing with proven global technology partnerships, we are developing commercial electric mobility solutions engineered specifically for Indian operating conditions. At Keto Motors, we are not here merely to participate in the electric bus market—we are here to bring something new to commercial mobility."

Manufacturing Facility Expansion by ₹300 Crore Investment

In order to meet the company's goal of manufacturing commercial EVs, Keto Motors signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Telangana in December 2025 for an investment of approximately ₹300 crore. The investment will help expand Keto Motors' 20-acre manufacturing facility in Jadcherla and also help set up a new greenfield manufacturing facility in Telangana EV Mobility Valley.

As per the company, the expansion is going to help in manufacturing 9-meter electric buses, will create over 2,000 jobs within the next three years, and make Telangana the center of Keto Motors manufacturing in the coming days.

ELCTRIK Speaks

Through the Urbanova KE9, Keto Motors is not only focusing on manufacturing electric vehicles but is also building an ecosystem of connected commercial mobility by combining smart software solutions, engineering know-how, and digital services. This ecosystem will enable the operator of the fleet to improve safety, maximise the availability of vehicles, and increase efficiency in operations.

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