India: SwitchLabs to commission 52 electric trucks by November

SwitchLabs, a new sustainable transport solutions provider in India, has announced that it will add 52 electric trucks to its fleet by November. It will operate these trucks for its clients under long-term contracts of eight to ten years.

Tata motors tata prima e55s ev electric truck india — Image: JK Lakshmi Cement

In the first batch, SwitchLabs has procured two units of the Tata Prima E.55S EV configured as electric bulkers. It has deployed the first units at JK Lakshmi Cement plant in Durg (Chhattisgarh) and is using them for transporting fly ash.

The Tata Prima E.55S EV is a 55-tonne 4×2 electric truck designed for heavy-duty tractor applications in cement, power, steel, and mining sectors. It features a permanent magnet synchronous motor that develops 470 kW and 2,455 Nm of torque, paired with a three-speed auto shift transmission.

Tata Motors gives a choice of 300 kWh and 450 kWh LFP battery packs, which provide a range of 220 kilometres and 350 kilometres, respectively. SwitchLabs has not disclosed the details of the configuration it specified for the first two units. The remaining 50 electric trucks will also be 55-tonne 4×2 electric tractors, although they may not all be the Tata Prima E.55S EV.

Speaking to electrive, SwitchLabs co-founder and CEO Ajay Singh revealed that the company will soon deploy electric trucks at another JK Lakshmi Cement plant in Sirohi (Rajasthan). In total, the company will operate 25 of the 52 electric trucks from the two JK Lakshmi Cement facilities.

SwitchLabs has identified two additional sites for the remaining 27 electric trucks, including one for a chemical manufacturer, and it plans to announce further details in due course. Singh added that the company expects its fleet to reach 55-60 electric trucks by December and aims to more than double to over 150 units by March next year.

linkedin.com (SwitchLabs), linkedin.com (JK Lakshmi Cement), tatamotors.com, tatamotors.com (both Prima E.55S EV)