For Kochi resident Alex, an IT professional who travels frequently for work, e-mobility in the city has made a significant financial difference, among other things. “Pre-COVID, I used to pay Rs 400–500 for a cab (Uber) to the airport. After COVID, Uber to the airport cost Rs 1,500. But now I can reach the airport for Rs 150 in an electric vehicle,” he said. For passengers like him, the electric feeder buses have made travel from the airport easier and convenient. They ply from the airport directly to the metro station, at regular intervals, from where he takes the metro rail and then a private bus / auto to reach his house.
This is part of Kochi’s broader effort to strengthen its e-mobility ecosystem and move towards a fully integrated urban transport network.
Gokul TG, additional general manager (urban transport) of Kerala Metro Rail Ltd, told Down To Earth (DTE), “The city being closer to the sea, (one) should also think about why the sea level rising is impacting you, what kind of infrastructure you have to develop for this, what is the planning that you need for the city. It is not something that comes out of a book or something. It is very real.”
Kochi, a historic port city of Kerala, is highly susceptible to urban flooding and sea-level rise, with studies predicting significant sea level rise by the year 2100. So, this shift to electric transport is not just about emissions reduction, but about building climate-resilient infrastructure and moving towards more sustainable mobility systems with fewer vehicles on the road.
Cochin International Airport is one of the first airports globally to be fully solar-powered since 2015, having generated 350 million units of solar power and reducing carbon emissions by 235,000 metric tonnes. Similarly, Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL)'s metro is 55 per cent powered by solar energy, and they are actively investing in more renewable energy sources to reduce the carbon footprint of their electric fleet, viewing it as both environmentally and financially sustainable in the long run.
KMRL plays a key role in connecting various modes like the metro, electric autos, electric buses and the electric water metro. The integration efforts have also been multifaceted, encompassing physical infrastructure, fare systems and last-mile connectivity, guided by the principles of the Urban Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA). They have also implemented a single fare media, the Kochi 1 card, which functions as a ticket for both the metro and the water metro interchangeably. This same card can also be used as a payment option for trips on buses and auto-rickshaws.
“We styled our buses similar to the metro colour. We have AC buses that are electric so that the person who is travelling from metro to the bus should feel they're getting the same service or in the same system rather than having this feeling that they're now transitioning to a completely different system,” said Gokul.
The water metro also replicates many metro features such as the Automatic Fare Collection system and automated passenger counting, enhancing the integrated feel.
KMRL runs a fleet of 15 electric buses to provide connectivity to key destinations and other transport modes. Feeder buses have significantly contributed to an increase in Water Metro ridership by enhancing first and last-mile connectivity within Kochi's integrated transport system.
“In Info Park, when we started, there were hardly 200 people in three buses. Now, we are regularly crossing 1,100 passenger ridership from that area itself. And our Water Metro registered around a 10 per cent increase in the ridership once the speeder buses came in. So these are very real issues that can be kind of addressed by providing the right solutions,” said Sajan, chief operating officer of the Kochi Water Metro.
Improving walkability in the city is another part of its broader integrated transport system and non-motorised transport (NMT) initiatives by KMRL.
“Another major investment that KMRL has done for the city is to develop NMT infrastructure, like the pedestrian infrastructure, we have invested a lot of money in the pedestrian infrastructure leading to the stations, so that people can actually walk. One of the interesting statistics that we have is that around 25 per cent of our incoming passengers walk to the stations and those who get out of the stations, probably the Central Business District area, where there is more congestion, 50 per cent of the people walk towards their destination.” says Gokul,
Despite these strides, commuters agree that increasing metro lines, ensuring affordable fares and improving last-mile access are essential to making e-mobility truly inclusive and efficient in Kochi.
Shamil, who works with an NGO, uses the metro daily and sees promise in electrification: “The world is moving towards electrification.” Still, he pointed out missing links in the network: “Feeder buses aren’t there in all stations… they’re mostly there only between rail and water metro. We need more availability.” He added that short-distance fares can feel high when compared to the private and public buses available.
Sajeer, a commuter from Fort Kochi to Tripunithura, highlighted the flexibility electric transport offers: “It helps save time and is more flexible.” However, he notes a crucial gap: “There’s no last mile connectivity to remote areas… people tend to use the government jetty more because it’s closer to where they stay.” Water metro, he said, is mostly used by tourists, “because it’s smooth, air-conditioned and more comfortable”, but not always practical for residents.
Gokul told DTE that there is also a need to automate communication systems to help commuters, especially first-time visitors, understand connections and timings between different modes like buses and water metro boats.
Kochi’s e-mobility journey is still a work in progress even though it is cutting emissions and reshaping transport. There is a lack of general awareness among the public about e-mobility and people are not actively demanding electric transport options. Commuters primarily prioritise convenience and reliability over sustainability when choosing transport modes. While significant efforts have been made, some issues like last-mile connectivity, perceived expense and lack of readily available charging infrastructure also remain.
However, there is a clear recognition of these challenges and steps are being taken to improve integration across modes.
This article is part of our series on how India moves, which looks at the relationship between air quality and human mobility in cities and towns.