Switch Mobility Ltd., a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland Ltd., on Wednesday unveiled two low-floor electric buses for India, Europe and GCC markets.
Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari flagged off low floor electric bus Switch EiV12 for the Indian market in the presence of Hinduja Group Chairman Ashok P. Hinduja. He also virtually flagged off E1 for the European market.
In his address, Mr. Gadkari said that the automobile industry was the future of the country and urged auto manufacturers to increase EV production volume not only to meet the domestic demand, but also for exports.
Stating that there had been a 60% rise in EV sales, he said it was crucial for India to bring down the import cost of fossil fuel.
At the same time, he also urged the automobile manufacturers to put up more plants to increase production so that it could have huge savings on fuel.
“Switch has an order book of over 1,800 EiV12 buses that will be delivered to Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru state transport undertakings in 12-15 months. Besides, the company is also participating in upcoming tenders,” Switch Mobility CEO Mahesh Babu said.
“We started production of EiV12. Last month, we produced 120 buses and have 200 buses ready for delivery. These buses have 65% local content, while the battery cells are imported,” Mr. Babu said.
Switch recently ramped up the monthly production capacity of buses from 40 to 120 in single shift. It is aiming to introduce a second shift on or after six months depending on the demand.
Talking about E1, he said the bus was designed specifically for the European market with a lightweight monocoque to ensure optimal efficiency and performance.
E1 can easily accommodate 93 passengers. It has three doors and flat gangway. At present, it is manufactured in Leeds, U.K.
(The writer was in New Delhi on the invitation of the company)
Published – December 12, 2024 08:12 pm IST
