Switch Mobility

Switch Mobility
Formerly	Optare (1985–2020)
Company type	Public
Traded as	Optare Group Limited
ISIN	INE208A01029
Industry	Automotive
Founded	February 1985; 41 years ago (as Optare)
Headquarters	Sherburn-in-Elmet, England
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Dheeraj Hinduja (Chairman)
Products	Electric buses; Commercial vehicles;
Revenue	$4.88 million (31 March 2020)
Number of employees	325
Parent	Ashok Leyland
Website	switchmobilityev.com

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. to Switch Mobility in November 2020, 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.

Products

Buses

Current

Solo SR; Solo SR EV (2007–2025)
MetroCity; Metrocity EV (2012–present)
MetroDecker; Metrodecker EV (2014–present)
E1 single decker (2022–present)
EiV 12 single decker (2022–present, for the Indian market)
EiV 22 double decker (2022–present, for the Indian market)
EiV 7 (2023–present, for the Indian market)

Discontinued

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)
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)
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

Discontinued

Pick-up trucks

Current

eLCV Dost
- eLCV Bada Dost
IeV Series (IeV 3/IeV4)

References

1 2 "Switch Mobility Limited". Companies House. UK Government. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
↑ "URI". data.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 June 2022.
↑ "Optare Group Limited renamed as Switch Mobility Limited". Optare. 30 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2020.
↑ Chaliawala, Nehal (28 July 2021). "Ashok Leyland to transfer complete electric vehicles business to new arm Switch Mobility - The Economic Times". The Economic Times. 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 (19 June 2022). "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.
↑ "Auto Expo 2023: SWITCH EiV 7 electric bus for smart city travel unveiled". CNBCTV18. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
↑ "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.
↑ "Switch Mobility launches e-LCVs Bada Dost (IEV4) and Chhota Dost (IEV3) • EVreporter". 7 September 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2024.

Other websites

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 Archived 2007-09-29 at the Wayback Machine
Buszone Optare page details of Optare and Reading Transport

[comphouse-1] 1 2 "Switch Mobility Limited". Companies House. UK Government. Retrieved 12 July 2022.

[2] "URI". data.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 June 2022.

[:0-3] "Optare Group Limited renamed as Switch Mobility Limited". Optare. 30 November 2020. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 5 December 2020.

[4] Chaliawala, Nehal (28 July 2021). "Ashok Leyland to transfer complete electric vehicles business to new arm Switch Mobility - The Economic Times". The Economic Times. Retrieved 27 May 2022.

[5] "Switch Mobility e1 electric bus launched. ZF motors, NMC batteries, lightweight body". Sustainable Bus. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 7 June 2022.

[6] Singh, Aaradhya (19 June 2022). "Ashok-Leyland owned Switch Mobility launches EiV 12 electric bus". Evo India. Retrieved 26 October 2022.

[7] "Switch Mobility Reveals New EiV 22 Electric Double Decker In India". carandbike. Retrieved 18 August 2022.

[8] "Auto Expo 2023: SWITCH EiV 7 electric bus for smart city travel unveiled". CNBCTV18. 12 January 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2024.

[sundaytimes.lk-9] "The Sunday Times On The Web – Business". www.sundaytimes.lk.

[9000s-10] Optare Renault Bus Lists on the Web

[11] "Ashok Leyland to roll out first electric LCV by FY22-end under Switch Mobility". Financialexpress. Retrieved 27 May 2022.

[12] "Ashok Leyland targets new markets with Switch Mobility, to launch e-LCV this year". autocarpro.in. Retrieved 27 May 2022.

[13] "Switch Mobility launches e-LCVs Bada Dost (IEV4) and Chhota Dost (IEV3) • EVreporter". 7 September 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2024.