Volvo Buses

UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND

Volvo goes all-out on hybrid buses

Volvo Buses is now focusing firmly on hybrid buses for city traffic in Europe. As of 2014 Volvo will only offer its complete, low-floor city buses as hybrids on the European market. Volvo is also expanding its hybrid model range with an articulated bus.

“We are convinced that our hybrid bus is the best alternative for our customers, passengers and for society in general as we work to improve the environment of our cities. With a fuel saving of 39 percent – and thus also an equally large reduction in carbon dioxide emissions – it is better than all other solutions for urban traffic available on the market today,” says Noël Reculet, Senior Vice President, Volvo Buses Europe.

“Volvo is set to take the lead when it comes to the switch to a more energy-efficient, quieter and cleaner public transport system. That is why we are focusing so firmly on further developing our hybrid technology. In fact, as of 2014 we will stop offering our complete, diesel-only city buses of low-floor type in Europe,” he adds.

New hybrid articulated bus
Volvo’s hybrid bus is being launched as of Euro 6 in articulated configuration too. This model will serve as an important reinforcement for the product portfolio.
“We know there is considerable demand for hybrid articulated buses. The new 18-metre bus will give fuel savings on a par with that of the Volvo 7900 Hybrid and will be able to carry at least 150 passengers. This means that operators will be able to even further reduce fuel consumption and emissions per passenger,” explains Noël Reculet.

Volvo’s new, lighter 5-litre 240 hp Euro 6 engine will be the new diesel engine for the company’s hybrid driveline. Even with the existing 5-litre engine the Volvo 7900 hybrid is already better than a standard diesel-powered Euro 6 bus.

Hybrid is the first step
At the same time as Volvo continues to optimise hybrid technology in today’s buses, the company is also working on a plug-in hybrid where the bus’s batteries are recharged via the mains grid. This technology, which permits energy savings of up to 60 percent, will undergo field trials in Gothenburg in spring 2013. Volvo buses powered entirely by electricity are already in service in China and are being tested in Canada.

“Hybrid technology is a first and important step on the road to entirely fossil fuel-free bus traffic. As more and more customers see that the technology delivers on its promises, we expect demand to continue growing. Hybrids and all-electric vehicles will constitute an increasingly large part of our product range going forward,” says Noël Reculet.

Volvo’s hybrid bus a success story
Since Volvo Buses started commercial production of hybrid buses in 2010, demand has increased steadily. More than 800 buses have so far been sold in 20 countries. This makes Volvo the leading supplier of hybrid buses in Europe. This commercial success is explained by the hybrid’s excellent energy efficiency and its favourable environmental properties: the Volvo 7900 Hybrid offers up to 39 percent lower fuel consumption and climate impact than a corresponding diesel version, and just half the emissions of nitrogen oxides and particles. What is more, the hybrid offers the same quality as Volvo’s diesel buses in terms of operating reliability and uptime.

Volvo’s hybrid bus is fitted with a smaller diesel engine than usual as well as an electric motor. The energy generated when the brakes are applied is recovered and stored, helping to drastically cut fuel consumption. At bus stops the diesel engine switches off completely and the bus departs from the bus stop, it does quietly and without any exhaust emissions under electric power.

More information about Volvo’s hybrid bus is available at the Volvo Buses YouTube channel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uL2GpBOm94Q

For more information, please contact:
Helena Lind, Media & Marketing Manager, Volvo Bus Corporation
+ 46 765 53 62 57