Mumbai: Switch Mobility has unveiled the electric double-decker air-conditioned bus, the Switch EiV 22, for public transportation in Mumbai. Being designed, developed, and manufactured in India, it brings back the memories of the iconic double-decker buses which used to be a part of Mumbai’s local transportation several years back.
As claimed by the company, Switch EiV 22 is the world’s first semi-low floor, air-conditioned, an electric double-decker with a wider door on the rear overhang and a rear staircase. It sits on a lightweight aluminum body which is helpful in achieving a higher passenger-to-weight ratio and a competitive cost per km, per passenger.
BEST, Mumbai – which is also the oldest bus operator of double-decker buses in India – has ordered 200 such double-decker buses. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled India’s first Double Decker AC electric bus in Mumbai.
Shri. Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, said, “There is a need to transform the country’s transport system from a long-term perspective. With a focus on reforming urban transport, we are trying to build a low footprint and high passenger density integrated EV mobility ecosystem. Government’s vision and policies are supportive towards EV adoption with growing consumer demand for greener solutions.”
Switch EiV 22 has the capacity to ferry nearly twice the number of seated passengers as a comparable single-decker bus with just an 18 percent increase in curb weight. The buses have two staircases and an emergency door which comply with the latest safety standards. A total of 65 occupants can travel in these buses in one go.
“I would like to congratulate Switch Mobility, subsidiary of Ashok Leyland, for being the one to revive the double-decker and remain committed to introducing new technologies for the benefit of passengers and society at large,” added Gadkari.
Switch EiV 22 is powered by a 231 kWh 2-string, liquid-cooled, higher density NMC chemistry battery pack with a dual gun charging system that returns a range up to 250 km for intra-city applications. The bus components are manufactured locally to achieve FAME II compliance.
