Mumbai to Get First of 200 New Electric Double-Decker Buses in December, Developed by Switch Mobility

Photo Credit: Switch Mobility

Mumbai, India's entertainment capital, is expanding its fleet of London-style red double-decker buses after nearly a century - this time as electric vehicles.

The first Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and transports (BEST) 200 new buses are expected to begin service on Mumbai's busy roads from December, along with around 400 single-floor EVs already in operation. Two new electric buses, including the country's first air-conditioned double-decker bus, joined BEST's fleet on Thursday.

India -- home to 1.4 billion people -- is the world's third-largest carbon emitter, and the government has committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2070.

The drive to electrify public transport is fueled in part by the need to reduce pollution in some of the world's worst-polluting cities.

The electric bus was developed by Switch Mobility, an arm of Indian auto manufacturing giant Ashok Leyland.

A similar electric double-decker made by the company was introduced in London in 2014.

"We want ordinary people to use electric mobility and achieve our net zero goals," Switch Mobility India chief executive Mahesh Babu told AFP on Thursday at the unveiling of the new fleet.

India's Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said in a press release, "The country's transport system needs to be transformed from a long-term perspective. By focusing on reforming urban transport, we will Striving to create an EV mobility ecosystem comprising of print and high passenger density. Government vision and policies are supporting EV adoption along with growing consumer demand for green solutions. I Ashok Leyland Subsidiary I would like to congratulate Switch Mobility for its commitment to revive the double-decker and introduce new technologies for the benefit of passengers and society.

The Switch EiV 22 vehicle, built in India, has 65 passenger seats and a battery pack that will give it a range of 250 km (155 miles).

Fossil fuel-powered Red Double Deckers made their debut in Mumbai in 1937 and up to 900 of them plyed the city's routes at their peak.

The aging fleet has been gradually phased out since the 1990s and fewer than 50 are now operating in the city.

As reported on Wednesday, BEST has contracted to supply 900 electric buses in phases. 50 percent of these buses will be delivered by March 2023 and the remaining 50 percent thereafter.