World Environment Day Special: Switch Ei V22 Double Decker Bus Driven

201, 313, 312, 86, 69! What are all these numbers? Well, if you’re not from Mumbai or haven’t ever stayed here, you’ll not understand, but these are the numbers of the double-decker buses that plied on the roads, just when we thought that it was the end of the road for them. Well, they’re back, and this time it’s about keeping the environment clean.

Exterior

Yes, the double-decker has gone electric, and it's massive to look at. Over 14 feet tall, it’s as tall as a giraffe, and at 32 feet long, it is the same size as a killer whale! And its wheelbase is as long as the length of a car, and what’s more, it’s developed, designed, and manufactured in India—in Chennai, in fact!

Switch Mobility was created by the coming together of Ashok Leyland and Optare of the UK both companies with tremendous experience in building buses. Sitting on the 9-metre EV bus chassis, the Switch EiV22 double-decker gets a steel and aluminum frame along with anti-roll bars for better stability.

Interior

The seats are comfortable too and though it’s made from lightweight materials which keep the overall weight down, it’s high quality. But the space between the two passengers is going to be a problem, especially if the passenger who is going to travel is as big as me. And given that concern. I shifted seats to sit in the place where I wouldn’t be a menace to anyone sitting inside, or would I?

Ride & Handling

At the front, the weveller suspension setup brings in stability and better control for the driver too given that he will have to tackle bad roads and traffic and at the rear, there’s air suspension which again can help provide a stable ride and doesn’t disturb the passengers inside.

Boy oh boy is this a dream come true, driving a double-decker bus. It was one of the professions I had considered joining as a child. But now I am a bit overwhelmed because I am moving this massive piece of real estate, and I have no visibility on how tall this is given that I sit lower. It’s very scary. But I got a hang of things after a few rounds.

The Motor Control Unit, battery management system, and hardware for the twin chargers are all under the rear deck and the permanent magnet motor is near the axle. So, the balance is perfect and the centre of gravity is lower to bring it better stability.

It’s a nice and smooth ride and though this steering wheel is a little small, but a good size and not tedious for those who will be driving it all day. What I miss though is the air horn because that is quintessentially what the bus sounds like.

Battery Pack & Charge Time

The 231-kWh battery pack produces 315 bhp, but that’s inconsequential because for pulling this big a mass, it requires massive torque and it gets it, 3100 Nm from the word go. This is capable enough for 250 km, however realistically, expect not more than 150-160 km that would take about 7 to 8 rounds before charging it again. About 1.5 to 3 hours of charge time, juices up the battery completely.

Verdict

Yes, I am down nostalgia lane, because the double-decker is very much part of the Mumbai skyline, and thanks to switch mobility it will continue to be. The front seat at the top will be the most sought-after.

I for one used to sit right here as a kid and look at the world in a different light and I used to go to my grandma’s house and tell her about what I saw, right from the miniature-looking taxis and rickshaws to the bald-people I counted en route. It was all part of my story and thanks to this, it will continue to be. Close to 200 of these 65-seater Electric buses will soon hit the road. So, get ready for a cleaner, greener, and emissions-free ride.