Volvo Buses
UNITED KINGDOM & IRELAND
The new Volvo vehicles are the first Volvo 7900s delivered in the UK and Ireland. The new buses are funded with the help of a £1.5 million grant from the Scottish Green Bus Fund and will be operating on the No.1 route from Clermiston to Easter Road.
“Our vision is to provide world-class, socially inclusive transport for Scotland’s capital city,” said Ian Craig, Managing Director of Lothian Buses, welcoming the new fleet.
“As a company we are always looking for ways to offer greener and more sustainable travel, both for our passengers and the local environment. With the financial support from the Scottish Government we are delighted to continue to add to our existing green fleet.”
The 7900H is the new complete Volvo vehicle, launched at Euro Bus Expo, in October 2012. Built on a hybrid driveline, the new 12.1 metre single deck bus offers reliability and high performance, whilst the body frame is specifically designed to save weight and therefore reduce fuel consumption. In fact the 7900H produces 30 per cent less emissions and uses 60 per cent less fuel than a diesel bus.
Specified with a Volvo D5F 4.8 litre 4 cylinder engine, rated at 215 hp and supported by a Volvo Electric Motor, rated at 120 kW, with a Volvo I-Shift gearbox, the 7900H combines a number of proven Volvo systems together.
Taking advantage of the complete Volvo build, the hybrid battery and several of the systems and cooling circuits are roof-mounted. This increases internal space and also assists in optimising weight distribution.
Pneumatically controlled, wide, inward gliding entrance doors promote ease of access, while a step-less low floor and a fully optimised internal space allows for 89 seated and standing passengers.
Travelling experience is further enhanced with silent boarding and take-off thanks to the hybrid engine’s ‘stop start’ feature, where the vehicle pulls away from the bus stop in pure electric mode. The 7900H also includes electronically controlled air suspension and smooth pneumatically controlled EBS 5 braking.
“We successfully launched the 7900H single deck bus last year and Lothian Buses were one of the first operators to secure an order. It’s nice to now see those vehicles delivered and entering service in Edinburgh. This is a hugely significant development for Volvo Bus in the UK and Ireland,” commented Phil Owen, Volvo Bus Sales Director
ENDS
16 April 2013
Caption for image:
A special launch event took place on Castle Street, Edinburgh on Saturday, April 13, as Lothian Buses took delivery of ten new Volvo 7900 hybrid buses