Switch Mobility, the electric vehicle division of Hinduja Group head Ashok Leyland, on Thursday unveiled its EiV22 double-decker electric bus. The introduction of these 66-seater buses will help Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) convert its current fleet of double-decker buses to electric as it aims to green the journey by 2028.
Mumbai is the only city in the country that operates twin deck buses. Ashok Leyland, the parent company of Switch Mobility, first introduced double-decker buses in 1967. Switch Mobility has already introduced electric double-decker buses in the UK, the company said.
“Ashok Leyland was a pioneer among Indian manufacturers when it first launched the double-decker in Mumbai in 1967, and Switch continues that legacy. With our strong expertise in double-deckers in both India and the UK, and with over 100 Switch electric double-deckers in service on UK roads, we It reinforces our commitment to create this form factor (design) for India and the world,” said Dheeraj Hinduja, President, Switch Mobility.
There is no double-decker market in India today, which is set to change as cities grow and become more congested, said Mahesh Babu, CEO of Switch Mobility India and COO of Switch.
“Everyone is looking at the pilot happening in Mumbai. If Mumbai is successful, I believe it will open up the entire market,” Babu told PTI.
The electric double-decker AC bus EiV22 is powered by a 231 kWh battery pack with a dual gun charging system, giving the bus a range of up to 250 kilometers for intra-city transport, according to the company.
“Switch EiV 22 has been designed and developed for Indian conditions. Mumbai and double-decker are synonymous with public transport and we are confident that EiV 22 will transform public transport in terms of sustainability and footprint,” said Babu.
SWITCH has secured an order for 200 buses from BEST, which it plans to deliver in phases over the next financial year, and is ready to “participate” if the autonomous body floats another tender, he said.
“We already have an order for 200 electric double-decker AC buses from BEST. We will deliver 50 of these buses this financial year. Many more cities are in talks with us for these buses,” he said, noting that 150-250 electric double-decker AC buses are expected next year. .
In April this year, Switch Mobility announced a GBP 300 million investment to develop a range of electric buses and light commercial vehicles in India and the UK.
Switch India is expected to get a large share of this investment in the early stages given the pace of vehicle electrification in the country and volumes that are much higher than in the UK and Spain.
But the market will also depend on how it grows, he said.
According to him, the latest double-decker bus offers 86 percent more capacity than the single-decker, which has been made possible by increasing the weight of the bus by 18 percent.
Plus, it takes up 41 percent less space than a regular single-floor or decker and can offset 32 cars on the road and reduce bulk, he said.
“We have a clear vision to support economies in meeting their net zero goals through renewable energy, finance and zero emission transport. We are confident that our new zero emission double-decker bus will deliver a cleaner and more sustainable future, reinforcing our commitment. India and for the world,” said Ashok Hinduja, Chairman, Hinduja Group of Companies (India).
Switch announced its entry into continental Europe in March with a greenfield facility in Spain.
For India, Babu said, the company is looking at a dedicated facility but not in the near future as it uses many of the company’s assets.
“We are using these facilities to expand. In parallel we are looking for a dedicated facility for the switch. This has not been decided. [by when]if we decide now, that [the 9th facility] It will take two years to come,” he said.
Babu said the company has the capacity to produce 2,500 buses, which could reach 5,000 in a short span of six months.
