Ashok Leyland inks strategic alliance for e-mobility solutions with Sun Mobility

Ashok Leyland has announced a strategic alliance with Sun Mobility, promoted by electric vehicle evangelist Chetan Maini and Uday Khemka, vice-chairman of the Sun Group. The partnership aims to leverage India’s innovation and engineering potential to develop world-class electric mobility solutions.

Ashok Leyland has been a pioneer in electric and hybrid buses, in both CNG and diesel, including those that do not require a plug-in. Sun Mobility aims to be a leading provider of universal energy infrastructure and services to accelerate mass EV usage.

Sun Mobility plans to revolutionise the transportation sector by deploying a unique open-architecture ecosystem built around its proprietory smart batteries and a network of quick interchange battery stations. These stations, mainly powered by renewable energy, will refuel EVs at a cost lower than and faster than conventional petrol-diesel fuel stations.

Sun Mobility says it will partner with multiple OEMs to integrate its proprietary smart battery solution into a range of innovative electric vehicles – cars, buses, rickshaws and scooters. The smart batteries will be modular, easily swappable, highly secure, IOT-enabled and can be easily refuelled on a pay-as-you go basis. This energy infrastructure integrated with electric vehicles, smart batteries and clean energy will accelerate the transformation of mobility towards a sustainable, pollution-free future.

L-R: Sun Mobility's Chetan Maini and Ashok Leyland's Vinod K Dasari at the announcement of strategic alliance.

Commenting on the partnership, Vinod K Dasari, CEO and MD, Ashok Leyland, said: “Ashok Leyland has always leveraged Indian engineering and innovation to develop world-class solutions. We were the first and only manufacturer to develop BS III emission compliance using a mechanical fuel pump. We were also the first in India to develop an SCR-based BS IV solution in 2010. In 2017, we were the world’s first and only company to developed an EGR-based BS IV solution, called iEGR. This latest innovation is performing extremely well and we are expanding our capacity to meet customer demand on our iEGR vehicle solution.

“Today’s partnership with Sun Mobility is yet another step towards bringing world-class solutions to India, developed in India, and by Indians. We hope to bring several new innovative products to the market at the earliest.”

Chetan Maini, vice-chairman of Sun Mobility, said: “With this partnership, Sun Mobility hopes to create a strategic alliance in the area of mass electric mobility by deploying a market-leading integrated ecosystem comprising Ashok Leyland’s state-of-the-art electric vehicles and our proprietory smart batteries along with a network of quick interchange battery stations. This partnership will help the nation moves masses through an efficient, pollution-free and cost-competitive solution for electric mobility.”