Switch Mobility has chosen Envisage Technologies for its electric bus, a 4th generation Switch e1 bus. Launched at the European Mobility Expo in Paris, the 12-metre-long lightweight electric vehicle is an exemplar of green mobility.

The focus of the European Mobility Expo 2022 was on zero-carbon buses, which provided the ideal stage to launch the Switch e1 bus. The e1 is one of the lightest 12m buses in Europe with a range of around 390km from a 389KWh battery, allowing operators to improve efficiency and reduce lifetime costs. 

Besides its features and technical credentials, what is really striking about the Switch e1 bus is its design. Envisage ensured that its colours, materials and finishes are aligned with its sustainable ethos, helping make public transport an appealing alternative for the European customer. The aqua and teal seascape aesthetic flies in the face of traditional bland bus design and ties in with a key sustainability theme of protecting our precious oceans. Envisage’s creatives took this a step further by selecting a SEQUEL yarn for the bus seat fabric made from 100% recycled polyester. 

“As well as ensuring designs and materials were aligned with sustainability, we had to create something exciting that would really engage with the consumer. From pastel flooring to metallic lilac handrails, we’ve not been afraid to do something different and create an inviting atmosphere by responding to the latest consumer trends,” said Lauren Reanne Steele, Colour and Materials Designer at Envisage Technologies.

With people still preferring to use their own cars, persuading them to choose the bus is a major challenge. This is why Envisage began by conducting detailed consumer trend research to build CMS themes and concepts for the vehicle’s exterior and interior finishes. Switch chose the seascape theme from 15 different options and went on to integrate the recycled polyester seating fabric into the interior design. 

Envisage has a track record of serving both Tier 1 customers and OEMs from automotive, aerospace, marine and the wider mobility market. Its CMF and paint divisions began working with Switch Mobility in November 2021, feeding into the design process and ensuring colour and materials choices reflected the client’s vision for low-carbon transportation.