Switch Mobility
British bus manufacturer
Switch Mobility (originally called Optare) is an English bus builder founded in 1985 in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire. In 2020 Ashok Leyland bought the company and renamed it to Switch Mobility. In 2021 they announced they were building diesel-powered vehicles and work on alternative fuels like compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hydrogen.[2]
 | |
| Formerly | Optare (1985–2020)[1] |
|---|---|
| Company type | Public |
| Optare Group Limited | |
| ISIN | INE208A01029 |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | February 1985 (as Optare) |
| Headquarters | Sherburn-in-Elmet, Leeds , United Kingdom |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Dheeraj Hinduja (Chairman) |
| Products | |
| Revenue |  $4.88 million (31 March 2020) |
Number of employees | 325 |
| Parent | Ashok Leyland |
| Website | switchmobilityev |
Products
changeBuses
change
- Current
- Solo SR; Solo SR EV (2007–present)
- Versa, midibus between Solo and Tempo (2006–present)
- MetroCity; MetroCity EV (2012–present)
- MetroDecker; MetroDecker EV (2014–present)
- Bus 9.4M single decker (2021–present, Indian market only)[3]
- Bus 12M single decker (2021–present, Indian market only)[3]
- E1 single decker (2022–present)[4]
- EiV 12 single decker (2022–present, Indian market only)[5]
- EiV 22 double decker (2022–present)[6]
- Past
- CityPacer minibus (1985–1992, replaced by the MetroRider)
- StarRider minibus (1987–1994, replaced by the MetroRider)
- ColumboRider integral variant for export to Sri Lanka (1987–1994, replaced by the MetroRider)[7]
- Delta single decker (1988–1999)
- MetroRider minibus (1989–2000, replaced by Solo)
- 9000-series minibus on Renault chassis for Leeds City Council (1990, replaced by the MetroRider)[8]
- Spectra double decker (1991–1997, low floor 1997–2005)
- Vecta midibus (1991–1997)
- Sigma (1994–1996, single-deck version of the Spectra)
- Prisma (1995–1998) single decker, Mercedes front
- Excel (1995–1999) (Excel 2 1999–2004, replaced by Tempo)
- Solo low floor midibus (1997–2012, replaced by restyled SR model)
- (Solo+ (2008) Concept only)
- (Solo EV 2009–2012 Replaced by restyled SR EV model)
- Alero low floor minibus, (Alero 2001–2006, Alero Plus 2006–2008)
- Irisbus Agora Line ((2002–2007) right-hand-drive version bodied by Optare, 23 were built for the UK)
- Tempo single decker (2004–2012)
- Tempo SR (2011–2020, Oceanian market only since 2017)
- Versa, midibus between Solo and Tempo (2007–2018)
- Esteem single decker (formerly East Lancs Esteem) (2008–2009)
- Olympus double decker (formerly East Lancs Olympus) (2008–2011)
- Visionaire open-top double decker (formerly East Lancs Visionaire) (2008–2011)
- OmniDekka double decker (formerly East Lancs Omnidekka) (2008–2011, only adopted by Nottingham City Transport)
- Rapta double decker ((2009) Concept only)
Coaches
change- Past
Pick-up trucks
changeCurrent eLCV Dost[9]
- eLCV Bada Dost[10]
References
change- ↑ "Switch Mobility Limited". Companies House. UK Government. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
- ↑ "Ashok Leyland to transfer complete electric vehicles business to new arm Switch Mobility - The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Dr Andy Palmer: 'We will start taking orders and delivering Switch-badged CVs in India soon.'". autocarpro.in. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
- ↑ "Switch Mobility e1 electric bus launched. ZF motors, NMC batteries, lightweight body". Sustainable Bus. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
- ↑ Singh, Aaradhya. "Ashok-Leyland owned Switch Mobility launches EiV 12 electric bus". Evo India. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
- ↑ "Switch Mobility Reveals New EiV 22 Electric Double Decker In India". carandbike. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
- ↑ "The Sunday Times On The Web - Business". www.sundaytimes.lk.
- ↑ Optare Renault Bus Lists on the Web
- ↑ "Ashok Leyland to roll out first electric LCV by FY22-end under Switch Mobility". Financialexpress. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
- ↑ "Ashok Leyland targets new markets with Switch Mobility, to launch e-LCV this year". autocarpro.in. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
Other websites
change
Media related to Switch Mobility at Wikimedia Commons- Optare's official website
- A useful listing of all bodies/complete buses built from 1985 to date Archived 2007-01-06 at the Wayback Machine
- Transport Yorkshire Preservation Group, owners of various preserved Optare vehicles
- Dennis Domino Buses, details of Optare's first design
- Buszone Optare page details of Optare and Reading Transport
