News and press releases

Deliveries during the second quarter of 2012 amounted to 2,498 buses, compared with 3,127 in the year-earlier period, down 20%. Order intake for the second quarter amounted to 2,678 buses, compared with 3,124 in the year-earlier period, down 14%. In the second quarter, net sales declined by 5% to SEK 5,189 M (5,467).

After the award of 150 Volvo B9TL double-deck buses in 2009, and a further 300 double-deck buses in 2010, Volvo Buses has now secured a further order for 550 Volvo B9TL double deck buses with a value over US$ 200 million. The customer, SBS Transit, has once again opted for environmentally friendly Euro V Volvo engines, although these are not yet a requirement in Singapore, and Wrightbus aluminium bodies.

Volvo Buses is now introducing a new Web-based tool that gives bus operators better control over their vehicles’ fuel consumption and allows them to tailor maintenance to meet individual needs.

On June 11 Volvo Buses delivered 25 new hybrid buses to Göteborg, Sweden. This marks a major step in the city’s drive to switch to a fossil fuel-free, quieter and cleaner public transport system.

The latest version of Volvo’s hybrid bus is about 37 percent more fuel-efficient than the corresponding diesel variant. That is far better than customers and Volvo Buses’ own experts expected just a few years ago.

Volvo Buses started commercial manufacture of hybrid buses in 2010. Since then the company has sold more than 650 hybrids to customers in 18 countries. This makes Volvo the leading supplier of hybrid buses in Europe. Their total mileage thus far corresponds to about 200 laps of the planet.

In the first quarter, Volvo Buses' operating income declined to SEK 62 M (303). Operating income was negatively affected by pricing pressure in Europe as well as low capacity utilization in the manufacturing system in Europe and Brazil. Net sales increased by 10% and were driven by significantly higher deliveries in Brazil in connection to the new, stricter emission regulation.

Volvo Bus UK has won orders for 184 new hybrid buses as part of the Green Bus fund for England, including its single largest ever hybrid order of 77 double deck buses for Arriva.

Volvo Buses and Volvo Construction Equipment have joined the Volvo Group’s cooperation with the Worldwide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) Climate Savers program. The cooperation is based on the Volvo Group’s commitment to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by 30 million tons from construction equipment, buses and trucks manufactured through 2014.

Volvo has now sold a total of 100 buses powered by hybrid technology in the Nordic countries. The latest order to be received by Volvo Buses is for 25 hybrid buses for Göteborgs Spårvägar (Gothenburg Tramways), which operates public transport services on behalf of Västtrafik.