Cover story

on a vehicle that’s both modular and intelligent. Like in the case of Switch buses, the platform will be used to shape up multiple cargo models that will be more voluminous over weighing heavier. Through the new range, the company will offer best-in-class payload, range and TAT that is backed by reliability. It will span a spectrum from upwards of 1.2-4.5 tonnes.

Drawing attention to the EV industry in India growing to 10 mn units in 2022, he mentioned, “The e-bus market is going to double this year and is expected to triple in the next fiscal. The e-bus market is expected to grow 10x in the next five years. The order book at Switch is a testimony of the company growing over the industry average.”

In India, Babu pegged the bus industry at ~85,000 units for five-metre to 12m buses. Here the nine-metre to 10m buses are estimated to be around 40,000 units, he said. The company expects EVs to attain ~50 per cent of that volume in the next decade for which the company is gearing up. Laying further context, he added that the company had its first e-bus ready over eight years back with work on EVs underway a decade back. The company boasts of a global footprint, with 750 employees with a ~300-member strong R&D team and ~300 buses running across the globe having clocked ~50 mn kilometres. Using data, the company has optimised its products. In line with its objective to “democratise carbon mobility”, the company wants to make EVs more accessible.

In a further expansion of its bus portfolio, the Switch EiV 7 bus unveil is aimed at last-mile mobility. Unveiled by Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, the latest addition to the EiV series, is claimed to have been uniquely configured to meet the demanding needs of the urban community such as last-mile connectivity through metro feeders and smart commute for staff and school applications besides as campus shuttles. Babu claimed, “In the Indian electric bus market, private operators are showing keen interest, given the lower total cost of operations and sustainability commitments.” He explained that the EiV 7 is built on an advanced architecture, contributing to enhanced operational efficiency and superior performance. The 650V architecture for India is at par with its EU solution, he exclaimed.

The bus brings along customercentric technology and passenger comfort with a low floor, luxurious seating, in-vehicle connectivity and a superior ride quality. Powered by the new generation, modular batteries with advanced NMC chemistry, specially formulated for the Indian market and climatic conditions, the bus is known to be embedded with proprietary technology solutions of Switch iON that enables remote, real-time diagnostics and monitoring. With Switch iON, the company has introduced features like satellite tracking, charging tracker, and OTA updates among uptime solutions including ADAS and Driver Dashboard as a bundled suite offering around 100 plus features for diagnostic and prognostic needs. With an assurance of best-in-class TCO, it can clock 250 kms with a dual charging gun. For the charging ecosystem, the company has partners in Duosida and Seimens for multiple configurations. It is claimed to charge 0-80 per cent in under an hour. In an hour and a half, the architecture facilitates a top-up of 300 kms in intercity applications. Powered by Dana’s globally competent technology of 235 kW and a 3000+ Nm torque, the company can offer nine-and 12m buses too.

The battery pack is claimed to be 30 per cent lighter than the competition and offers high energy density. With a claimed ~4000 cycles plus life, the company is offering eight years warranty to back the claim. These packs are configurable upwards of 110 kW to 460 kW with a two-speed thermal management system. Safety is enhanced with a three-layer (module, battery and string level) including vehicle level components with a (-) five degrees to 55 degrees. Using data analytic and mining, with the capability of collecting close to two terabytes of data. The company has attained ~18 per cent energy efficiency in a tangible outcome as per Babu. The company also showcased an open-top, hop-on hop-off tourist application for the intra-city segment on the Switch EiV 22. Carrying forward the wide front and rear doors, two staircases, and an emergency door complying with the latest safety standards, the bus optimised to seat 65 passengers is powered by a 231 kWh capacity, two-string, liquid-cooled, higher density NMC chemistry battery pack also with a dual gun charging system. It boasts a 250 km range for intra-city applications. The nextgeneration, modular architecture, and thermally optimised, superior technology has enabled Switch to attain both scale and customer-centricity. ACI