Ashok Leyland Celebrates 75th Anniversary in India, Unveils New Products

Ashok Leyland, which is a part of the Hinduja Group, has commemorated its 75th year of operations, with the unveiling of three brand new products in India. The company was founded in 1948, and has since been a major player in the commercial mobility market. The proceedings kicked off with the launch of the Switch IeV Series, which includes the IeV3 and IeV4. Both these products come with a 330-volt EV architecture and are a part of the 2-3.5 tonne commercial vehicle segment.

Furthermore, the IeV Series CVs are equipped with a 9.7 feet long carbo space at the rear and have a payload capacity of 1.7 tonnes. The all-electric CVs are offered with 25.6 to 32.2 kWh battery pack options, and are capable of doing 300 km in a day, but with what the company calls ‘Opportunity Charging’. It also gets convenience features like sliding and reclining seats, foldable parking brakes, and an industry-first electric power steering system.

Dheeraj Hinduja, Chairman of Ashok Leyland and Switch Mobility said, “Ashok Leyland's 75-year journey is a story of transformation and innovation. As we celebrate this milestone, we look ahead to the future with excitement and determination and renew our pledge to further shape the future of the CV Industry. We have set our sights on pioneering sustainable transportation solutions and aim to support India’s economic development for years to come”.

Switch Mobility also offers connected tech on the IeV Series CVs in the form of the Switch iON system, with over 20+ customized features, providing real-time vehicle information, insights on the vehicle's position, operating route, trip history, and the condition of EV aggregates. In terms of competition, the IeV Series sits fairly above the Tata Ace EV, which has a payload capacity of 600 kg.

That’s not all, Ashok Leyland also showcased a new 9-meter hydrogen fuel-cell bus developed for NTPC (National Thermal Power Corporation). This would be India’s first fuel cell bus that will commercially ply on the country's roads. The company also exhibited the country’s first hydrogen internal combustion engine truck, which was earlier launched in collaboration with Reliance Industries.

Mahesh Babu, Chief Executive Officer of Switch Mobility, said, “The launch of our Switch IeV Series electric vehicles is a defining moment for Switch, having established a strong reputation in the e-bus market. With the Switch iON Standard at its core, a versatile range of options, diverse charging solutions, exceptional performance, and operational ease as its hallmark, the SWITCH IeV Series is a testament of our dedication to driving positive change in the industry”.

As part of its 75th-anniversary celebrations, Ashok Leyland also launched a new initiative called ‘Dream Drive’. This entailed a journey across India with 10 Ashok Leyland vehicles driven on 5 different routes, which culminated at the company's manufacturing plants on the day of the celebration.