Ashok Leyland's parent company, Hinduja Group, has announced the formal launch of its electric commercial vehicle brand - Switch Mobility. The new company is formed by combining the electric commercial vehicle operations of Ashok Leyland and Hinduja Group's UK-based bus subsidy, formerly known as Optare. The company has also announced the management team for Switch Mobility, and it will be headed by former Aston Martin boss, Dr Andy Palmer, who has been appointed as Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, effective from July 1, 2021.
Also Read: Ashok Leyland Reveals Its Global EV Plans; Renames Optare Group As Switch Mobility
Commenting on the development, Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman of Switch Mobility, said, "Hinduja Group is focused on providing the needed thrust to our ongoing initiatives in the rapidly growing zero-carbon mobility sector. This is orchestrated through combining the advanced engineering and development skills in the U.K and India to address the demand in global markets. I am confident that with Andy Palmer at the helm, we will accelerate our vision to be at the forefront in this field soon."
Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman of Ashok Leyland will also serve as the Chairman of Switch Mobility
Palmer will be supported by an experienced team of experts to deliver the company's ambitions to secure a leading global position in net zero carbon buses and light commercial vehicles. This includes the appointment of Nitin Seth as Chief Operating Officer, Sarwant Singh Saini as Chief Planning Officer and Roger Blakey as Chief Technical Officer. Further Leadership appointments will be announced shortly.
Andy Palmer, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO and of Switch Mobility, said, "Switch holds a unique position in an increasingly competitive marketplace with our EV commercial vehicles already clocking millions of miles in service. We embrace the ethos of a start-up and enjoy the legacies of intellectual property, borne from more than a decade of technical expertise and engineering experience, that is already revenue-generating and delivering for our customers. I'm delighted to have become part of the Executive Leadership team and believe we have all the required ingredients to become a leading global e-bus and e-truck player, trail-blazing the way to zero-carbon public transport."
Also Read: Switch Mobility And Siemens Partner To Work On Electric Mobility Projects In India
Switch says it will build on its experience of having more than 280 electric vehicles in service with over 26 million miles covered
The company says that with the combined expertise of its teams in the UK and India, Switch will build on its experience of having more than 280 electric vehicles in service with over 26 million miles covered. It says that the company's potential to deliver e-mobility solutions has been enhanced through technological collaboration with partners including Siemens. In fact, it already offers the lowest Total Cost of Ownership for CV customers in India. As part of its ramp-up plan, Switch has already signed customer agreements with leading logistic operators and secured orders for a 2000-strong e-LCV fleet with customer trials starting this month.
