Switch Mobility is a new player in the commercial vehicle market which is essentially the EV arm of Ashok Leyland. Ashok Leyland started production of these twin-floor transports about 55 years ago. on top of this, change Mobility launched the electric double-decker bus in London about eight years ago. Needless to say, it has enough experience and pedigree to continue the legacy of double decker buses in India. The EiV 22 is the first electric double-decker bus in India to have an air-conditioning system.
EiV22 Switch Front
The company knew that they could not only bring the UK product to India or implement it with successful results. The folks at Switch Mobility wanted to create a version of the bus that would stay true to the legacy of the vintage double decker seen in Mumbai (when it was called Bombay), run on a greener energy source and also smarter innovations from the present. Add days. These new EV double decker buses have been designed and developed in India and will be produced at the Ashok Leyland facility in the country.
Mahesh Babu said, “We already have an order book of 200 for EV22. We have showcased the vehicles and will start delivering them by the end of this calendar year. By the end of the financial year we will have these buses. want to complete the delivery.
EiV22 Switch Upper Deck
The EiV 22 is based on the company’s 650V architecture, which is similar to the recently launched EiV 12. When asked about the development timeline of this new bus, Mahesh said that the company has been working on the product for about 10 months and will continue to do so. Changing and tinkering with various things until labor starts, bringing the total development time closer to about 15 months. He also mentioned that it was relatively easy to develop the new product and build it on the existing EV architecture. We wonder what this information could mean for the rapid development of future products and the prospects for this platform.
Being an electric vehicle, the EiV 22 does not consume fossil fuels, instead, it has 231kWh, liquid-cooled. NMC battery pack. It is being claimed that the bus will run up to 250 km on a single charge, which should be enough for applications within the city.
While the new bus has a body made of lightweight aluminum composite material which helps in things like making it more durable and efficient, the Ashok Leyland lineage still exists. With the floor height being the same as the old buses, the company wanted to ensure that the new electric double decker is capable of handling the potholes and rough roads of Mumbai.
A significant change in the new bus is the addition of front stairs. While the vintage double decker used to have only one staircase at the back on Indian roads, the new one doubles that number. This not only makes it more convenient to access the upper deck, it also serves as an emergency exit, increasing the safety quotient of the bus. A modern addition to the product is the optional USB accessory. This can be a great addition for private players as most buses today come with a USB slot. In fact, Mahesh mentioned that around 80 per cent of sales are done by private organisations.
It is no secret that the global pandemic slowed things down for the entire world and caused significant distress for almost all sectors. The Public Transport Department was one of the worst affected as people were not stepping out of their homes during the lockdown. Even when the public was allowed to step out, they were advised to keep their distance from others, something which is very difficult to do when using public transport. Sales of trucks and buses were at an all-time low, but now things seem to be improving.
While Mahesh Babu mentioned that Switch Mobility has the capacity to produce 2,500 products annually, they currently have an order of around 600 units. This leaves a lot of room for expansion so that orders start coming in. If electric buses become cheaper to run and maintain in the long run and cheaper than fares, the company could very well see a greater influx of orders. Government and private organizations also. Mahesh is optimistic about the future of the sector and said, “Last year, when we started, we had 65 orders and now we have 650 orders. I am sure we will have over a thousand orders by the end of the year.”
Switch Mobility also has a subsidiary called OHM which is designed to improve the ease of adoption of buses. They provide various things as a service including only the battery or the whole bus. The EiV 22 will also be a part of OHM and can be purchased by the customers in multiple ways. Such initiatives should help bring the public transport sector back to pre-pandemic levels. According to Switch Mobility, a double-decker bus can clear the traffic of 35 cars off the road. This can not only be good for the environment but can also reduce congestion on the roads. With new highway projects in the pipeline, this may result in shorter travel times which will be a welcome change for all commuters.
After delivering 75 EiV 12 buses in Bangalore and then showcasing the EiV 22 in Mumbai, we asked Mahesh if the company had any plans for the capital as well. He replied, “I want to do that so I’m already working on it. Switch is a global company. We have buses in London, we have buses in India, we have Spain as our facility.” And we’ve already sent a pilot bus to Japan. We’re really looking at getting the switch on a global scale.”