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Switch Mobility ( Optare until 2020) is a British bus manufacturer based in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire. It is a subsidiary of Indian company Ashok Leyland. The company is responsible for the EV operations of the group with Ashok Leyland focusing on its core business of diesel-powered vehicles as well as work on like compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hydrogen.
After being rebranded from Optare to Switch Mobility in November 2020, it announced plans in 2021 to set up a plant in India for its electric vehicle business. Later, it acquired the EV division from parent company Ashok Leyland via a slump sale of 2.4 billion rupees (~£23 million).
Switch Mobility has two subsidiary companies. The first subsidiary is Switch Mobility Automotive Ltd, which brings together Ashok Leyland's Indian based EV operations with the expertise of the UK-based bus manufacturing division. The second subsidiary is named OHM Global Mobility Private Ltd which provides Mobility as a Service (eMaaS) solutions in India.
The company was created at a very difficult time for the bus and coach industry, with the challenges of privatisation and deregulation meaning very few orders for new vehicles. The first orders came from the still publicly owned West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (WYPTE) and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE). The publicly owned but arms-length company Yorkshire Rider, as successor to the WYPTE bus fleet, also took early vehicles.
When the Roe business closed down, WYPTE had an unfulfilled order for five Leyland Olympian coach-seated double-decker buses in place for its Metro coach operation. These five part finished buses went from Roe to Eastern Coach Works as shells for completion, but subsequently ten more were completed as Optare buses but to the Roe design, the first of which was completed in September 1985, the 17th Optare bus body. Five went to WYPTE, and five to its successor Yorkshire Rider, and a further five standard seated Olympians were also delivered to WYPTE, two as convertible open top buses. 5507 Transport Yorkshire Preservation Group
The first Optare designed bodies were fourteen for the SYPTE built starting in February 1986. Optare also bodied fifteen for the WYPTE. A preserved Cub later visited the Optare plant in 2005. 1807 Transport Yorkshire Preservation Group
Starting in August 1986, Optare built fifteen minibuses converted from the LDV Pilot vans for the WYPTE. 1705 Transport Yorkshire Preservation Group Sherpas for West Yorkshire PTE Commercial Motor 2 August 1986
In 1987, the Optare StarRider, based on the Mercedes-Benz 811D chassis, was introduced. This was a heavier chassis with a proven reliability record and had seating for 33 passengers. StarRider's touchdown Commercial Motor 6 August 1987 London Regional Transport took 123 StarRiders and a total of just under 320 were built between 1987 and 1994.
In an attempt to break into the export market, the ColumboRider was subsequently developed, named after the city of Colombo in Sri Lanka, where the first examples were sold. The ColumboRider was a semi-integral version of the StarRider, based on a chassis made by a consortium including Optare, Japanese technology company Itochu and local Sri Lankan manufacturer Ceylinco. The ColumboRider was replaced by an export version of the MetroRider. Optare MetroRider in Blackpool in June 2013]]In 1990, Optare bodied thirteen Renault S50 minibuses with a welfare bodywork which has since come to be known as the 9000-series, due to the allocated body numbers. As standard, the 9000-series community transport minibus had a front door, nine passenger seats and a rear tail lift for wheelchair access. All thirteen examples built were delivered to Leeds City Council between March and May 1990, and no further orders were ever placed. Optare Renault Bus Lists on the Web
Dennis had effectively created a new market segment, known as a midibus, with the introduction of the Dennis Dart. Optare soon introduced a competitor, the Vecta, albeit slightly bigger and wider than the Dart at that time, seating 40 in a full-width 2.5 m body. The chassis was the MAN 11.190 and featured a ZF gearbox and full air suspension. The bodywork was a scaled down version of the Delta.
The CityPacer and StarRider were phased out in the years after Optare purchased the design for the MCW Metrorider in July 1989, rebranding it as the Optare MetroRider. Optare takes Metrorider Commercial Motor 3 August 1989 This was a larger design than the CityPacer, and more robust when compared to the StarRider. It was Optare's first venture into fully integral vehicle manufacturing, and became the mainstay of the Optare midi/minibus offering until the low floor Solo was introduced in 1997.
Having already used a DAF SB220 chassis on the Delta, now as part of United Bus, Optare collaborated with DAF to design the Optare Spectra. It was based on the modified design of the MCW Metrobus purchased by Optare, and combined parts from it and the SB220 to form a new double deck chassis, designated DB250, with Optare bodywork called Spectra. Green claim for Spectra Commercial Motor 13 February 1992 Due to the United bus relationship and joint design, the Spectra was built exclusively on the DB250 chassis. As well as having a striking front end, the Spectra was also recognisable for having no rear window. Introduced in 1990 it was described as a "partly low-floor double-decker". British double deckers http://www.busexplorer.com Despite the association with DAF, in 1991 Optare also launched a conventional height midibus on the MAN 11.180 chassis, the Optare Vecta. Optare Vectra citybus unveiled Commercial Motor 14 March 1991
After the collapse of United Bus in 1993, Optare was again returned to independent status with another management buyout. The reaction to the collapse of United Bus was the release in the next two years of two Delta derived single deck buses on different non-DAF chassis, the Sigma and Prisma, the latter being on the Mercedes-Benz O405 chassis which had a Mercedes-Benz style front end rather than the Optare family face. Mat underframed Prisma Commercial Motor 30 March 1995 in Horsham in April 2009|left]]Optare acquired Autobus Classique in 1996, shortly after the launch of their Nouvelle luxury minicoach. Optare significantly redesigned and rebadged it in 1997 as the Nouvelle 2, and it served similar markets to the StarRider/MetroRider coach versions. Also in 1997 a relationship with a Spanish mini and midi coach manufacturer named Ferqui SL began, with the importation of the Solera luxury midicoach into the UK.
While part of United Bus, Optare also for a time became the exclusive UK dealer for the distinctive full size VDL Bova Futura coach.
With modifications of the DB250 chassis to become the DB250LF, in 1997, the Spectra became the first fully low-floor double decker bus on offer in the UK.
Also in 1997 the Optare Solo was launched and became a success for Optare. With a unique design of a front axle forward of the door, it allowed a low-floor layout in a very short bus, and also came equipped with kneeling suspension for even greater access. Its styling and innovation led to a Millennium Products award and the Queen's Award for Innovation.
The NABI era saw the introduction of the Optare Alero low-floor minicoach in 2001, filling a gap in the market for a low floor vehicle for use on low intensity services such as demand responsive transport, already covered at the higher capacity by the Solo. In 2004 the new derivatives of Solo were introduced offering a longer variant and also a narrower 'SlimLine' model to further capture the market. Also introduced in 2004 was the first new bus model since the Solo, the Tempo, a full size single decker with another striking design, even when considered in the environment of increasingly stylish competitor products.
On 1 August 2005, NABI found itself in financial difficulties, and speculation about the future of Optare was ended with the announcement that Optare had, once again, been acquired by its management. This change did not affect the further roll out of the new range, leading to the Optare Versa and a radically restyled Solo (the Solo SR), both with a distinctive raised part of the roofline towards the front of the bus.
The merger brought together the single deck and midibus portfolio of Optare and the primarily double deck order book of Darwen.
After the merger, Optare began rationalisation of its bus manufacturing business. In 2009 the production of Esteem single-deck bodywork was ceased, and the manufacturing site at Rotherham was closed.
In 2011, a new fully enclosed factory opened in Sherburn-in-Elmet, replacing the Leeds plant. Optare's efficient new UK bus production plant Transport News Brief 16 December 2013 In 2012, the former East Lancs site also closed putting all manufacturing processes under one roof. In June 2015, Optare was delisted from the Alternative Investment Market. Optare annbounces next step in transformation to deliver growth Optare 30 April 2015 Optare de-lists from market in bid to deploy funds elsewhere The Press 1 May 2015 In October 2017, Ashok Leyland increased its shareholding to 98%, and in 2018 to 99%. Ashok Leyland ups shareholding in Optare to 99.08% to help arm slash debt burden The Financial Express (India) 26 October 2018 In November 2020, Ashok Leyland announced that Optare would be rebranded Switch Mobility. Optare becomes Switch Mobility as parent company Ashok Leyland unveils global electric vehicle plans Coach & Bus Week 1 December 2020
In July 2021, Switch Mobility Ltd announced plans to roll out its electric (E) buses and light commercial vehicles (LCV) from the group's United Kingdom and Indian plants. In December 2021, Switch Mobility Ltd announced the setting up of a manufacturing and technology centre in Castilla y León, Spain, at an investment of about €100 million spread over the next 10 years. Mobility announced in November 2021 plans to supply 300 technologically advanced twelve-metre electric buses and the charging infrastructure to Bengaluru's Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) with the aim to reduce carbon emissions by over 14,500 tonnes every year. A month later, parent company Ashok Leyland published an Electric vehicle road map with plans to launch its first e-LCV in December 2021.
In January 2022, Switch Mobility announced plans to build a new manufacturing and technology centre on a greenfield site in the Soto de Medinilla area of Valladolid, Spain. A month later, it announced that 40 new electric buses would be operational in Chandigarh. These zero-emission buses would be delivered to the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking (CTU) the same month.
In March 2025, it was announced that a consultation process had begun for the closure of the Sherburn-in-Elmet factory, with the reason given a slower than expected transition to electric vehicles by public transport operators.
Since 1997, many of Optare's electrical systems have been designed and constructed in collaboration with Actia.
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