Switch Mobility has unveiled its all-new Switch e1 battery-electric single-decker. The 12m bus is designed specifically for the mainland European market and it will deliver a claimed range of around 390km from 389kW/h of onboard energy storage.
Prototypes of the Switch e1 are being built at the OEM’s Sherburn in Elmet factory in Yorkshire, but production models will be constructed at its newly founded premises in Valladolid in Spain. The monocoque design makes the Switch e1 “one of the lightest 12m buses in Europe” and it tips the scales at under 10,800kg unladen.
The Switch e1 uses NMC battery chemistry, which Switch Mobility says contributes to its light weight. ZF hub motors are fitted and CCS2 charging is via either AC or DC. The manufacturer says battery replenishment can be undertaken in less than seven hours on AC and under three hours via DC.
Up to 93 passengers can be carried in the fully low-floor layout, while Switch says that the interior utilises an ‘open’ design that incorporates reading lights and under-seat lighting, USB charging points and a large passenger information monitor. Significant work has also gone into the cab area, it adds.
Says Switch Mobility Vice Chair and CEO Dr Andy Palmer says: “We are proud to continue innovating the sector with not only one of the lightest widely available buses in Europe, but our first fully electric bus designed specifically for the European market.
“The Switch e1 is the result of learning from the 30 million electric miles that our buses have covered, delivering a state-of-the-art transport solution designed with a customer first mindset. Switch continues to enable cities to meet net zero targets, allow operators to maximise efficiency while minimising costs, and ensure that drivers can passengers experience unrivalled comfort.”
Although Switch has no plans to bring the Switch e1 to the UK, learnings from its design process will factor into future product work here. Find out more in the June issue of routeone, to be published on 15 June.
