Ashok Leyland To Invest $200 Million In Switch Mobility Ltd

Ashok Leyland, the flagship of the Hinduja Group, today elaborated on its electrification roadmap with its UK-Based arm - Switch Mobility Ltd, UK. The company is planning to invest up to $200 million in Switch Mobility, over the next few years. 

Switch Mobility, the next-generation electric bus and light commercial vehicle company, and a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland Ltd, had recently announced strategic steps to further solidify its progress towards developing net zero-carbon mobility. Dr Andrew Palmer has been appointed as Executive Vice Chairman & CEO and other key leadership positions were announced. Former Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan banker and senior lawyer, Dr. Miranda Brawn, and auto industry veteran, Mr J M Alapont, were recently inducted to the Board.

In April, Switch Mobility had announced technological collaborations with various partners, including Siemens, to deliver e-Mobility solutions that offer the lowest Total Cost of Ownership for CV customers. As part of its ramp-up, Switch Mobility has already signed customer agreements and LOI’s with leading logistic and eCommerce operators.

Sharing his comments during the presentation, Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman, Ashok Leyland & Switch Mobility, said, “The Mobility space is experiencing huge disruption, with e-Mobility and digital playing a crucial role. We have a very aggressive plan to be at the forefront of the Electric vehicle transition in Buses and Light vehicles. We already have over 280 Electric buses on the road in India and UK. Many new products are under development and we will be in an unique position of offering both Value and Premium Products for Global markets. This we strongly believe will propel us in our journey to achieve our Vision to be amongst the Top 10 Commercial Vehicle Manufacturers in the world.”

Ashok Leyland with Switch Mobility aims to be in the top ten players globally in the commercial vehicles segment through the latter's electric commercial vehicles, which would allow it to serve markets developed like the US, Europe and Japan.

Adding on, Vipin Sondhi, MD & CEO, Ashok Leyland, said, “These new initiatives give us the ability to drive the Sustainability agenda which Ashok Leyland is passionate about. As leaders, we need to create sustainable solutions that are simple, practical and make good business sense to our customers. Switch Mobility with its strength in net zero carbon technologies combined with Ashok Leyland’s expertise in the mobility space, will lead this change and enable us to fulfil our aspiration of net zero carbon mobility.”

Switch Mobility was forged from the EV elements of Ashok Leyland, and Optare, the UK bus manufacturer with over a century of expertise in using the latest technologies in bus design. In 2014, Switch introduced the first British built, pure electric buses to London’s roads and since then has 280 EVs already on the road, clocking up over 26 million electric miles in developed and developing markets. 

Further elaborating, Dr. Andrew Palmer, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Switch Mobility Ltd, UK, commented, “We already have a head start in the e-Mobility space, with our vehicles already clocking millions of miles in service. We want to increase our reach further and work with different stakeholders to encourage the faster adoption of net zero carbon mobility. With key leadership positions being filled, we are raring to go and are ready to transform the transport mobility space. Technology and innovation will continue to be pivotal in realising our aspirations in the e-bus and e-truck space.”