Volvo commenced the serial production for Europe of the Volvo 7700 Hybrid in May 2010. This bus was developed following several years of research & development of the hybrid technology.
Since its launch, the Volvo Hybrid solution has emerged as a commercially viable bus and has been adopted for regular use in countries in the Americas and Europe. 8 out of 10 customers have thus far returned for repeat purchase of these buses. In December 2011, Volvo Buses has secured orders for a total exceeding 450 hybrid buses from Mexico, Brazil and Europe.
Akash Passey, Managing Director & CEO, Volvo Buses in South Asia, said, “At Volvo we have what is considered today as the world’s most efficient hybrid solution. Importantly it’s a part of our regular production system, developed by Volvo in-house, and proven in real operations for a long time now. Across various cities, across various routes it has given up to 37% of fuel savings, more uptime than typical diesel vehicle & of course saved over 50% in hazardous emissions. The Volvo Hybrid is very much the solution cities & environmentalists have asked for. We are ready. All we await is the demand & the direction from the authorities, so that we can apply this solution specifically to Indian needs.
Today, the Volvo 7700 Hybrid has been unveiled to showcase our intent and readiness for India.”
The Volvo Hybrid solution is a complete Volvo in-house design which has meant – no compromise. Moreover there is high commonality of components with the existing range of Volvo buses.
The Volvo 7700 Hybrid is equipped with a smaller diesel engine and an electric motor, which can be used independently or jointly. The electric motor is driven by energy from a battery that is charged when the bus brakes. At bus stops, the diesel engine switches off completely, which creates a silent and exhaust-free environment at bus stops.
The bus then restarts only with the help of the electric engine. The diesel engine does not start until the bus reaches 15-20 km/hour.
Another advantage is that the bus generates significant fuel savings regardless of where it operates. Many of the older hybrid solutions are only efficient in highly congested city traffic, but Volvo’s technology functions equally well when there is a greater distance between bus stops.
5th January, 2012
For further information, please contact
Sridhar Chari, sridhar.chari@volvo.com
Nilanjana Nangia / Shankhadipa Talukdar, +91 99 8607 4334, +91 99 9995 6546 nilanjana.nangia@bm.com; shankhadipa.talukdar@bm.com
Volvo Buses India Private Limited
Volvo Buses has been in India for 10 years and has the richest experience when it comes to high-performing bus applications. This, coupled with its state-of-the-art factory and overall profile of being a complete transport solutions provider, gives it a unique ability to be in the best position to understand the needs of the Indian market and configure products accordingly. Volvo City Buses today operates across 12 cities in India & Volvo Coaches across every key routes in the country, besides Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It is the second largest European brand with a strong presence in key markets in Asia. At present, there are about 5,000 Volvo buses operating in the SAARC region, both in the city and inter-city segments.
