At Prawaas 5.0, zingbus showcased its growing role in transforming India’s intercity bus ecosystem, with a strong emphasis on electrification, premium travel experiences and technology-enabled operations. Speaking to MOTORINDIA, Mratunjay Beniwal, Co-founder and COO, zingbus, said the company is focused on making intercity travel “affordable and dignified” while expanding its footprint across more cities through partnerships with private bus operators.
“Our mission is to help people move between cities in an affordable and dignified manner. We work closely with operator partners, and Prawaas gives us the perfect platform to create awareness about our offerings while also signing new partnerships, especially for our newly launched Zing Electric initiative,” said Mratunjay.
Through Zing Electric, the company aims to simplify the transition to electric buses for private operators by bringing together OEMs, charging infrastructure providers and financing partners under a single platform.
“We build the entire ecosystem and provide operators with a bouquet offering that they can simply plug into and start operating. They don’t have to worry about selecting the right OEM, negotiating pricing or identifying charging infrastructure. We make the transition economically viable and easy to execute,” he explained.
While acknowledging the significant progress made in highway charging infrastructure, Mratunjay believes financing and localisation remain the next critical priorities. “We need better financing solutions and greater indigenous manufacturing. Operators invest in buses for six to ten years, so strong after-sales support becomes extremely important.”
Raising the bar for premium travel
The company also celebrated receiving the Pan India Best Bus Operator Award, describing it as recognition of its unwavering focus on safety, reliability and consistent customer experience.
“This recognition belongs to the entire team. We have always kept safety, reliability and predictability at the forefront, and the award validates the journey we have been on,” Mratunjay said.
He highlighted the strong market response to the company’s premium offering, Zingbus Max, which has attracted growing interest from both passengers and operators.
“Customers today are value conscious rather than simply price conscious. If they see a differentiated experience, they are willing to pay for it. The traction we are seeing for Max clearly reflects that shift.”
According to him, the product has also influenced market trends, with several operators adopting similar design philosophies. “Imitation is perhaps the strongest validation that you are creating something meaningful,” he remarked.
Looking ahead, Mratunjay said the company’s larger vision extends beyond premium mobility to improving connectivity for underserved regions across the country.
“We started zingbus with the mission of moving people between cities safely and with dignity. Reliable transportation enables social and economic mobility. Whether it is connecting remote towns in Assam or destinations like Kalga in Himachal Pradesh, improving accessibility also helps local economies become part of the mainstream. That is the mission that continues to drive us,” he concluded.
