Switch Mobility said it plans to invest £300 million (over Rs 298 crore) in the UK and India to develop its electric buses and light commercial vehicles. As part of the investment, Switch Mobility expects to create more than 4,000 tech jobs in the UK and India, Switch Mobility said in a statement.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is visiting India, praised the company’s investment plans, acknowledging Switch as an example of a business strengthening bilateral trade between the two countries. “We are committed to launching the next generation of clean green buses in the UK, and Switch Mobility is at the forefront of this revolution.

This announcement will bring quality jobs and skills to the UK and India and prove we are in the future industry,” The statement quoted Johnson as saying. The statement added that his trip to India also coincided with the launch of the company’s new 12m electric bus for India and the announcement of a new technology centre in the UK.

Switch Mobility chairman Dheeraj Hinduja said the pace of change in electric vehicles for public and commercial transport had accelerated significantly since the company was founded more than a year ago. “With a strong order base of nearly 600 buses and an ambitious investment plan, we believe we are well-positioned to take full advantage of this growth.

The new 12m buses have been designed specifically with the needs of the Indian market in mind and offer a range of up to 300 kilometres,” he added. As part of its investment in the UK, Switch Mobility said its new technology centre would be the focal point for its global research and development team.

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It will create more than 130 skilled jobs, be led by Chief Technology Officer Roger Blakey, and focus on developing the Switch’s next generation of cars. The site, which is expected to open in June 2022, will work closely with Switch’s existing R&D offices in Chennai, Leeds, and Valladolid and employ another 200 engineers, the statement said.