Switch Mobility has held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the beginning of construction of its new manufacturing facility in Valladolid, Spain.
Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman of Switch Mobility, laid the foundation stone of what is the manufacturer’s first production site in continental Europe. Construction proper is set to commence in earnest within the next 12 months, alongside the production of the plant’s first buses.
Phase 1 of development will house the creation of Switch’s new 12m bus, designed with the European market in mind. Battery assembly capability and production of a zero-carbon light commercial vehicle will follow in phases 2 and 3, respectively.
The 35-acre site will have two production lines, will be “carbon neutral from inception” and will receive some €100m (approx. £840,000) worth of investment over the next decade. Switch hopes it will rejuvenate the Soto de Medinilla area surrounding Valladolid and create 7,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Also in attendance was Raquel Sanchez Jimenez, Hon. Minister for Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda; Alfonso Fernandez Mañueco, President of the Region of Castilla y León; and Oscar Puente, Mayor of Valladolid.
“With a rich automotive history, strong supply chain and availability of engineering talent, Valladolid is an ideal location for the facility, and I would like to express my appreciation to the national and regional governments for supporting the project,” says Mr Hinduja. “I am hopeful that this facility will address the increasing requirements in Europe, which is poised for significant growth in the EV Mobility segment.”
Adds Andy Palmer, Vice Chairman and CEO of Switch Mobility: “The past year has been one of considerable progress for Switch. We have established a presence in the UK, India and now Continental Europe, have an order book of over 500 electric buses and have covered more than 50m kilometres with our current electric products.
“Beginning the development of our site in Spain is a key milestone in our global growth strategy.”
