Every time you choose a petrol or diesel cab for the Pune–Mumbai journey, approximately 25–30 kg of carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere — before accounting for nitrogen oxides and particulate matter that directly affect air quality in both cities. Over a year of regular travel, a single commuter choosing a conventional cab contributes hundreds of kilograms of avoidable greenhouse gas emissions.
Orbitmiles — the EV cab arm of Shreeram Travels, running since March 2025 — was started with a clear mission: to make the Pune–Mumbai corridor one of the first intercity routes in India where travellers can choose a premium cab experience without compromising on environmental responsibility. Orbitmiles runs three battery-electric cars on this corridor — the Citroën ë-C3 at ₹2,700, the MG ZS EV at ₹3,200 and the six-seat Kia Clavis EV at ₹3,800 — and each of them covers the 150 km journey with zero tailpipe emissions. The fourth car, the six-seat Innova Hycross at ₹6,000, is a petrol-electric hybrid, and we call it that rather than round it up to "electric".
The Numbers: 20+ Tons of CO₂ Saved
Orbitmiles has prevented more than 20 tons of CO₂ from being released into the atmosphere across 3,000+ completed rides on the Pune–Mumbai corridor. To put that in context:
- 20 tons of CO₂ is equivalent to the annual emissions of roughly 5 average Indian passenger cars
- It is equivalent to the carbon sequestered by approximately 600 mature trees over a year
- It represents over 52,000 km of petrol-cab travel that was replaced by zero-emission EV rides
These numbers will grow with every booking. As our fleet and ridership expand, so does the cumulative positive impact on the air quality and climate profile of Maharashtra.
Electric vs Petrol and Diesel: The Emissions Reality
A common question about EVs in India is whether they are truly cleaner when the electricity powering them comes from coal-fired plants. The answer, consistently confirmed by lifecycle analysis, is yes — significantly so. Here is how it breaks down for the 150 km Pune–Mumbai trip Orbitmiles covers for a fixed ₹2,700 in the Citroën ë-C3:
- Petrol cab (1.5L engine): approximately 26–30 kg CO₂ tailpipe emissions, plus upstream fuel production
- Diesel cab: approximately 24–28 kg CO₂ tailpipe emissions, plus upstream production, plus higher NOx and particulate matter
- Orbitmiles electric cab: zero tailpipe emissions; grid-electricity emissions are approximately 8–12 kg CO₂ equivalent on India's current mix — and declining year on year as renewables grow
Even on today's grid, choosing an electric cab reduces per-trip emissions by 60–70% compared to petrol. As India's renewable energy capacity — currently over 190 GW and growing — continues to expand, the advantage of EVs will increase further every year.
To put the individual impact in perspective: a weekly commuter travelling Pune–Mumbai and back by petrol cab generates approximately 25–30 kg CO₂ per trip, or roughly 50–60 kg per round-trip week. Over 52 weeks, that is 2,500–3,000 kg of CO₂ per year from this single commute alone. Switching to an Orbitmiles EV cab eliminates the tailpipe portion entirely — saving over 2,000 kg of CO₂ annually for a single weekly commuter. A fortnightly commuter still saves over 1,000 kg per year.
Silent Rides and Cleaner Cities
The three Orbitmiles EVs on this route — the Citroën ë-C3 (₹2,700), MG ZS EV (₹3,200) and Kia Clavis EV (₹3,800) — emit no NOx and no particulate matter at the point of use, because carbon dioxide is not the only pollutant that matters. Diesel and petrol engines emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) — both of which are directly linked to respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease, and reduced life expectancy. Mumbai and Pune regularly record air quality indices that exceed safe thresholds, particularly along high-traffic corridors like the Mumbai–Pune Expressway.
An Orbitmiles electric cab also operates almost silently, reducing noise pollution for passengers, drivers, and communities along the route. The difference is immediately perceptible inside the vehicle: Orbitmiles passengers frequently remark on the quietness and smoothness of the ride — a by-product of the EV drivetrain that also happens to be better for public health.
Sustainability Built Into the Business Model
For Orbitmiles, sustainability is not a marketing add-on: three of our four cars are battery electric, there is no diesel anywhere in the fleet, and the ₹320 expressway toll is inside the fare whether the car pays it or is exempt from it. It is built into how the business operates:
- Three of the four cars — Citroën ë-C3, MG ZS EV and Kia Clavis EV — are battery electric and exempt from the ₹320 expressway toll; the fourth, the Innova Hycross, is a petrol-electric hybrid that pays the toll, and we label it as a hybrid. There is no diesel fallback.
- Charging is planned around off-peak electricity hours where possible, reducing peak-grid demand
- Route optimisation reduces unnecessary kilometres driven, cutting energy consumption per booking
- CO₂ savings are tracked and reported per trip, available to corporate clients for ESG reporting
- Driver training includes energy-efficient driving techniques specific to electric vehicles
Corporate clients who book regularly through Orbitmiles can request a periodic CO₂ savings summary — useful for ESG disclosures, sustainability reports, and Scope 3 emissions tracking under GHG Protocol frameworks. Orbitmiles emails a GST invoice for every trip, so the same record supports both the input tax credit claim and the emissions line.
Thinking in Trees: How Your Commute Compares
One mature tree absorbs approximately 21 kg of CO₂ per year. That framing puts the individual commuter's impact into vivid perspective:
- A single Pune–Mumbai petrol cab trip generates the equivalent of what a mature tree absorbs in more than a year.
- A weekly EV commuter who switches from petrol to Orbitmiles saves the equivalent of approximately 100 trees per year in annual CO₂ absorption — from this one commute alone.
- A team of five colleagues sharing a Kia Clavis EV instead of taking separate petrol cabs saves 5x the per-trip reduction — roughly the carbon equivalent of 500 trees annually for weekly travel.
These are not speculative future projections. They reflect the arithmetic of switching from a 25–30 kg CO₂/trip petrol journey to a near-zero tailpipe EV ride, repeated over a year of regular travel. The numbers are meaningful, verifiable, and yours with every Orbitmiles booking.
For a detailed breakdown of the carbon footprint difference between petrol and electric travel on this specific route, see: Carbon footprint of Mumbai–Pune travel.
Scope 3 Corporate Emissions: Why Your Cab Choice Appears in ESG Reports
For companies reporting under the GHG Protocol or India's BRSR (Business Responsibility and Sustainability Reporting) framework, employee business travel falls under Scope 3 Category 6. This means intercity cab travel by employees — including Pune–Mumbai commutes — is a reportable part of a company's greenhouse gas inventory when the company is preparing a comprehensive emissions disclosure.
For sustainability managers and ESG teams, the choice of cab provider is therefore not just a cost decision — it directly affects the Scope 3 numbers reported to regulators, investors, and sustainability frameworks. Switching corporate travel to Orbitmiles EV cabs on the Pune–Mumbai corridor reduces the Scope 3 Category 6 footprint measurably and immediately, with supporting documentation available on request.
Corporate clients who book regularly can request a periodic CO₂ savings summary — trip-by-trip, or consolidated monthly — formatted for ESG reporting use.
The Passenger Experience: Green Travel Without Compromise
One of the most persistent myths about eco-friendly travel is that it requires compromise — slower journeys, less comfort, or premium prices. Orbitmiles disproves all three on the Pune–Mumbai route.
The journey time in an Orbitmiles EV is identical to a petrol cab — typically 2.5 to 3.5 hours depending on traffic — with the advantage of a quieter, smoother ride. Orbitmiles charges a fixed ₹2,700 from Pune to Mumbai in the Citroën ë-C3, all-in with the expressway toll included — a ₹2,450 quote from an app-based cab plus the ₹320 toll costs more — and no surge pricing is ever applied. You pay after the ride, not in advance, and cancellation is free up to four hours before pickup. The vehicles are modern, well-maintained, and air-conditioned. You are not sacrificing anything by choosing the greener option. In fact, by most measures, you are getting more.
Your Role in India's Electric Mobility Transition
India has set ambitious targets: 30% of all new vehicle sales to be electric by 2030. The Government of India's FAME II scheme has invested heavily in EV adoption. But targets become reality only when consumers — individual and corporate — make the switch in their daily choices.
Choosing an Orbitmiles EV for your next Pune–Mumbai ride is not a symbolic gesture: it replaces roughly 25–30 kg of tailpipe CO₂ with zero on that specific 150 km journey, contributing to cleaner air in two of India's largest cities and supporting the commercial viability of the electric mobility sector. When intercity EV cab services demonstrate that the model works — financially, operationally, and from a customer experience standpoint — it accelerates adoption across the industry.
Every ride counts. Every booking is a vote for the kind of transport infrastructure India builds over the next decade. And with Orbitmiles, that vote does not cost you more, take longer, or require any compromise in comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much CO₂ does an Orbitmiles ride save compared to a petrol cab?
An Orbitmiles electric cab — Citroën ë-C3 (₹2,700), MG ZS EV (₹3,200) or Kia Clavis EV (₹3,800) — produces zero tailpipe CO₂ on the 150 km Pune–Mumbai run, against the roughly 25–30 kg a petrol cab emits over the same distance. Across 3000+ completed Orbitmiles rides, this amounts to more than 20 tons of CO₂ avoided — equivalent to the carbon absorbed by over 900 mature trees annually.
Are electric vehicles truly greener when electricity is generated from coal?
Yes — even on India's current electricity grid, the three Orbitmiles EVs produce 40–60% fewer lifecycle CO₂ emissions per kilometre than petrol or diesel vehicles over the 150 km Pune–Mumbai trip. As India's renewable energy share grows, this advantage increases further. Grid emissions are already declining year on year as solar and wind capacity expands.
Which Orbitmiles cars are electric, and which is not?
Three of the four Orbitmiles cars are battery electric — the Citroën ë-C3 (₹2,700), the MG ZS EV (₹3,200) and the six-seat Kia Clavis EV (₹3,800) — and all three are zero-tailpipe and exempt from the ₹320 expressway toll. The fourth, the six-seat Innova Hycross (₹6,000), is a petrol-electric hybrid, not an EV, and it pays the ₹320 toll. Orbitmiles operates no diesel cabs at all.
What is the 20+ tons CO₂ saving based on?
Orbitmiles calculates the 20+ tons figure by comparing a petrol cab at approximately 165 g CO₂/km against the zero tailpipe emissions of the Orbitmiles EVs, across all 3,000+ Orbitmiles journeys completed to date — using the 150 km Pune–Mumbai trip distance as the baseline.
Can I offset my travel emissions further when booking with Orbitmiles?
Booking an Orbitmiles EV at ₹2,700 already makes the single biggest emissions reduction available for this journey — roughly 25–30 kg of tailpipe CO₂ per Pune–Mumbai trip replaced with zero. You are welcome to additionally support tree-planting or renewable-energy offset programmes of your choice for any residual grid emissions.