Switch Mobility announces new Spanish manufacturing site
Switch Mobility is establishing a new manufacturing and technology centre in Castilla y León, Spain. Already with sites in Sherburn-in-Elmet in Yorkshire and India, the new facility is intended to extend Switch’s footprint as part of the company’s global plans.
Recently founded Switch Mobility, owned by Ashok Leyland, is the company Optare became a part of last year.
Switch’s first facility in continental Europe will see the company invest around 100 million Euros over the next ten years. The hub will comprise two state of the art production lines and is expected to see the first buses produced in quarter four of 2022. With an initial focus on the manufacture of Net Zero carbon electric vehicles for the European market and R&D of Switch’s next generation of electric buses and light commercial vehicles, the site will also have capacity to serve markets further afield including South America. Switch has worked closely with the Spanish national and regional governments during the planning stages and is also closely collaborating with the local Town Halls. A memorandum of understanding was signed in October.
“Supporting our well-established sites in the UK and India, our Spanish facility will provide us with crucial access to the European market” – Dr Andy Palmer, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Switch Mobility
Dr Andy Palmer, Executive Vice Chairman and CEO of Switch Mobility Ltd, said: “We are delighted that Switch is today launching its first site in continental Europe in the province of Valladolid, Spain where we will benefit greatly from the region’s abundance of talent. Supporting our well-established sites in the UK and India, our Spanish facility will provide us with crucial access to the European market. On behalf of the board, I would like to thank the Minister of Economy of the Castilla y León Government, Carlos Fernández Carriedo and the Mayor of Valladolid, Oscar Puente who have been hugely supportive of the project and have worked closely with Switch over the last six months. I look forward to building on this relationship as we develop Switch’s advanced, carbon-neutral facility and work with the region to support their transition to a fully electric bus fleet.”
All operations at the new site are planned to be powered entirely by renewable energy and a state-of-the-art energy monitoring and management system will be installed. Carbon neutrality will remain a priority during the construction phase, with materials sourced from suppliers with credible Net Zero policies and sustainable commitments and logistics operated by electric vehicles wherever possible.
The new facility is expected to create up to 2,000 talented direct jobs and around 5,000 indirect jobs. Construction of the new centre will commence on 27 January 2022.