VOLVO BUS has landed its largest ever order for all-electric buses and the largest in Sweden, with 30 units ordered for the city of Gothenburg, it’s reported recently.
The city – Sweden’s second largest, situated on its west coast, with an approximate population of 580,000 in the urban area and about 1 million in the metro area – now, “takes the lead in the transition to electrically propelled urban bus traffic” in that country, it’s stated.
The 30 all-electric Volvo buses from GS Buss, subsidiary of Göteborgs Spårvägar, and Public Transport Authority Västtrafik, will run on route 60 in Gothenburg from next European autumn.
Västtrafik, the public transport provider in the Västra Götaland region, has high sustainability targets, it’s stated. Carbon dioxide emissions are to be cut by 80 per cent by 2020, 95 per cent of all transport shall take place with renewable energy by 2025, with noise from transport to be reduced.
More than 60 Volvo hybrid buses are already operating in Gothenburg. Since 2015, route 55 has been operated by Volvo all-electric buses and electric hybrids as part of the ElectriCity framework. Since June 25, two all-electric Volvo high-capacity buses have also been operating on part of route 16.
Now GS Buss – one of the providers of bus operations in Gothenburg – is purchasing 30 all-electric buses from Volvo. This is the biggest single order that Volvo has so far received for this bus model, it’s stated. They will have 200kWh battery capacity and will be charged at the route’s end stops and in the depot. GS Buss will be responsible for the charging infrastructure. The buses will be delivered in the third quarter of 2019.
Bus route 60 is one of Västtrafik’s most heavily trafficked routes in Gothenburg. In 2017 there were more than 6.2 million journeys on this route and additional 0.7 million journeys on route 59 and 62, it’s stated.
CLOSER TO PEOPLE
“It’s great to put more electric buses on the road in Volvo’s home city. We know that the electric buses on route 55 are highly appreciated by passengers, drivers and local residents alike,” said Håkan Agnevall, president Volvo Buses.
“Now many more people in Gothenburg will be able to travel without causing noise and emissions on one of Gothenburg’s most heavily trafficked bus routes. In addition to giving passengers and drivers a ‘pleasanter’ ride the electric buses will contribute to a quiet, emission-free environment for everyone living along the route. Electric buses create entirely new possibilities for urban planning since we can bring public transport closer to people, even indoors,” he added.
Volvo will provide all maintenance for both the vehicles and their batteries at a fixed monthly cost.
Volvo recently announced the sale of 23 electric buses to Leiden in the Netherlands and another 17 to Oslo. Volvo has now sold electric buses to Britain, Denmark, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore and Sweden.
In addition to the all-electric Volvo 7900 Electric, the Volvo Buses range of electrified vehicles encompasses hybrid buses and electric hybrids (plug-in hybrids). All told Volvo has sold more than 4,000 electrified buses globally.