During his trade visit to India, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised Switch Mobility for its investment in the UK and India. During his visit to Delhi and Gujarat, the Prime Minister recognised Switch as an example of a company that is helping to strengthen bilateral trade between the two countries. Switch confirmed its plans to invest £300 million across the UK and India to develop its range of electric buses and light commercial vehicles, bringing the total amount of new investment in the UK and India to over £1 billion.

“We are committed to rolling out next generation clean green buses in the UK, and Switch Mobility is at the vanguard of that revolution,” Johnson said. This announcement will bring high-quality jobs and skills to both the UK and India, and it demonstrates our commitment to future-oriented industries.”

The Prime Minister’s visit also coincided with the launch of the company’s new 12m electric bus for India and the announcement of a new technical centre in the UK, with the investment expected to create over 4000 skilled jobs in the UK and India.

“Since forming Switch Mobility over a year ago, we have seen the pace of change to electric vehicles for public and commercial transportation increase significantly,” said Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman of Switch Mobility. We believe we are well positioned to capitalise on this growth, with a strong order bank of nearly 600 buses and ambitious investment plans already in place. The new 12 metre bus has been designed specifically for the Indian market, with a range of up to 300 kilometres.”

Switch’s new technical centre will be the focal point of the company’s global R&D team, as part of the company’s investment in the UK. The centre, which will create over 130 skilled jobs and will be led by Switch’s chief technology officer, Roger Blakey, will focus on the development of Switch’s next generation vehicles. The facility will open in June 2022 and will collaborate closely with Switch’s existing R&D offices in Chennai, Leeds, and Valladolid, which employ a total of 200 engineers.