SUN Mobility is demonstrating its modular battery-swapping technology for heavy electric vehicles in Chennai and has signed MOUs with local bus operators. This initiative aims to enable cost-effective electrification and tackle major issues in high-frequency bus operations throughout Tamil Nadu.
SUN Mobility, a provider of energy infrastructure and services for electric vehicles, showcased its modular battery-swapping technology for heavy electric vehicles at an event in Chennai. The workshop saw attendance from over 100 private bus operators and operator associations from Tamil Nadu. At the event, SUN Mobility signed memorandums of understanding with several bus operators to support the adoption of electric vehicles in the heavy vehicle segment. Discussions at the workshop focused on the company’s offerings, a cost-benefit analysis, and the potential for replacing diesel-powered buses with battery-swapped electric buses while maintaining a similar cost structure and refuelling experience.
Recently, SUN Mobility partnered with Veera Vahana, a bus manufacturer, to present a fully integrated mobility solution for electrifying bus and truck fleets at Prawaas 4.0, an international conference organized by the Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India. This event underscored the need to electrify commercial fleets, especially heavy vehicles, to reduce emissions, enhance air quality, and improve operational efficiency. The showcased technology received over 10,000 inquiries for electric buses.
The modular battery-swapping technology addresses common challenges faced by bus operators, such as high upfront costs, limited financing options, lengthy charging times, and the need for extensive charging infrastructure. Ashok Agarwal, CEO-HEV at SUN Mobility, noted that the solution could reduce the upfront cost of electric buses by 40%, making them comparable to traditional internal combustion engine buses. It also promises to lower operational costs by up to 20% and increase bus utilisation by reducing downtime with a swapping process that takes less than three minutes.
Battery swapping is especially advantageous for high-frequency mofussil operations in Tamil Nadu, where buses often have very short intervals between trips and operate up to 16 hours a day. Unlike fixed battery systems that require extended charging times, the modular battery-swapping solution offers a practical alternative that also enhances payload-carrying capacity.
Despite buses and trucks making up only 5% of the total vehicle population, they contribute about 50% of tailpipe emissions. With 90% of the commercial vehicle segment being privately owned, cost-sensitive fleet operators stand to benefit significantly from battery-swapping technology, which can support broader EV adoption.
Since launching in 2017, SUN Mobility has integrated its technology into over 26,000 vehicles across two, three, and small four-wheeler fleet segments. The company operates more than 650 battery-swapping stations nationwide, facilitating approximately 60,000 swaps daily and covering 1.6 million kilometres, reflecting an 84% year-on-year increase in utilization.
SUN Mobility’s joint venture with IndianOil aims to leverage IndianOil’s extensive network of over 37,000 fuel stations to enhance the accessibility of battery-swapping technology. Through this partnership, the company offers “Battery as a Service” (BaaS), providing users with a streamlined electric vehicle experience while addressing concerns about battery cost, obsolescence, maintenance, and charging time.
