With many commercial vehicle manufacturers focusing on environmentally friendly mobility solutions, Ashok Leyland is planning to take a leap forward in this race. Ashok Leyland EV powertrain intends to gain a pace in the near future.
Ashok Leyland is in talks with investors to raise funds for its electric vehicle subsidiary, Switch Mobility and Ohm Global Mobility. The enterprise plans to raise more than USD 50-100 million for Ohm Global Mobility and around USD 200 million for Switch Mobility to kick start mass manufacturing operations as a new e-mobility-as-a-service (e-MaaS) programme. With Ohm Global Mobility operations beginning from April 1, 2022, Ashok Leyland aims to provide electric vehicles to cater to the services of local transport operated by state transport undertakings (STU) and aid commercial mass fleet operators to work on an operating cost model instead of an outright purchase which would introduce a lease payment system along with a fee based on per kilometre use of the vehicle.
Ashok Leyland has delivered around 100 electric buses and aims to fetch contracts and tenders to operate about 5000 - 6000 electric buses across the country, where they are searching for the highest bidders to generate volume. As per their model, Switch Mobility would acquire the ownership rights of the buses, and Ohm Global Mobility would handle the operations and use.
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As Ohm Global Mobility develops its roots in India, the operating expenses would significantly be brought down because of the government subsidies on commercial electric mobility. This would lead to low running costs per kilometre, thus helping the enterprise to keep local commute for travellers affordable. With competitors like Olectra already operating on a similar model successfully, Ohm Global Mobility is on its way to providing a subscription-based service to fleet operators with battery-as-a-service and other value-added services. This provides peace of mind to the leaseholder as well as the lessee without any hassle of annual maintenance contracts, road tax renewal and permit payments.
Switch Mobility has successfully received an order of 40 electric buses from Chandigarh, 300 from Bangalore and expects much more orders over the years from public transport services to excel in this sector. Ashok Leyland has earned a reputation in the world of commercial vehicles and is expected to keep up with its legacy in this upcoming venture as well.
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So, what do you think about Ashok Leyland EV ventures? Would it be able to fetch a decent response and cater to the needs of the public? How well can an electric powertrain fit into the commercial vehicle segment? Share your views in the comment section. Let's get into a discussion with this in our 91Wheels Telegram and 91Wheels Whatsapp group, where you can know more about vehicles, conduct discussions on your favourite ride, and much more! You can also subscribe to our Youtube channel for our exclusive video content on the latest from the world of cars and motorcycles. Also, connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for more about vehicles!
