Ashok Leyland Electric Bus: Models, Price and Range

The commercial mobility industry in India is currently witnessing a slow transformation, especially in the transportation field, with electric propulsion gaining ground. This is because of government procurement initiatives, urban emission standards, and increasing fuel prices. In this scenario, electric buses have become an integral part of urban transportation solutions.

Operating in the passenger and light commercials segment in the Indian market, Ashok Leyland is also a part of this paradigm shift, having electric buses in its product line. These have mainly been used in city transportation services, employee transportation, and certain inter-city services based on the norms set by the respective state transportation entities.

Ashok Leyland Electric Bus Range - An Overview

Ashok Leyland's electric bus range is developed by its subsidiary brand, Switch Mobility. Presently, the product range is largely targeted based on urban and semi-urban applications. These electric buses are generally purchased by state transport corporations or private operators based on tenders.

Main electric bus models are:

• Switch EiV 12 - Typical German Full-Sized Electric Urban Bus Application
• Switch EiV 22 - This city bus has low floors and runs on electric propulsion.
• Circuit Series – Compact electric buses for the circuit routes and last-mile connectivity solutions

The buses are designed using a modular approach. The location of batteries, seating arrangements, and charging systems differ according to route and operational needs. Thus, the operator can select their buses according to their needs and available infrastructure support.

Battery Capacity and Range of Operation

Range still remains one of the key considerations in analyzing electric buses. According to information provided by Ashok Leyland, qualified range values are expected to range between 120 km and 300 km based on battery capacity.

Urban driving cycles offer the advantage of regenerative braking, and this could enhance energy efficiency. The most popular method for charging still remains depot charging and this is facilitated by standard and fast-charging systems in place. Electric propulsion systems always offer lower noise levels and better torque, and this could have some effect on passengers and urban driving convenience.

Price Positioning in the Indian Market

The pricing of Ashok Leyland electric buses in the Indian market is highly variable depending on the features and procurement method. The prices range from ₹20 lakh to ₹80 lakh depending on the requirements, while the procurement of the entire electric city bus from the government tender could range from ₹1 crore.

Government aid through central and state-level incentives might lower the purchase price. Like most other electric bus procurement projects, fleet managers could consider evaluation of overall costs of ownership rather than just purchase price. Considerations could be operational costs, maintenance, and life cycles of batteries.

Contribution to the Commercial EV Ecosystem

Ashok Leyland being an established commercial vehicles producer has a comprehensive service support system in the country India. With regard to electric buses, the services include support for charging points and battery management solutions.

Currently, the electric buses provided by Ashok Leyland are running successfully in many cities and towns of India. These operate on fixed routes and fixed schedules based on the charging capacity and infrastructure.

Conclusion

The electric buses by Ashok Leyland are one of the initiatives taking place in a different way to encourage the electrification of public buses in India. The different models cover different requirements for urban mobility, with a range suitable for planned city routes. Costs are still influenced by tender structures.

However, with ongoing advancements in electric bus technology and charging systems, there may be some shifts in specifications and adoption trends. Currently, Ashok Leyland is one of the players involved in the electric transformation of public transport in India.

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