Volvo Hybrid Buses hit the streets first in Goteborg, providing a first as far as the Volvo brand is concerned outside that of private transportation means. The Göteborgs Spårvägar transit company is participating in a field test with the hybrid bus that provides major fuel savings as a result of electric drive and shutting off the diesel engine at bus stops.
Environmental issues are high on the agenda among politicians in Göteborg and this applies to a great extent within traffic policy. There are distinct environmental demands the entire way from the politicians in the traffic committee, through the officials at the city’s Traffic Office and those responsible for procurement at the Västtrafik county public services agency to the operators, including Göteborgs Spårvägar.
Hybrid solutions for heavy vehicles have existed for many years, but they have been too expensive and reduced emissions too little, as a result of which they did not achieve market penetration. The Volvo Group’s new hybrid technology changes this. The company has developed a technology that is common for buses, trucks and construction equipment. In this manner, the Group secures large component volumes and subsequently lower costs.
Volvo’s hybrid technology contributes to a quieter and cleaner city environment. Fuel consumption, and consequently the emission of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, is reduced by up to 30% depending on where the bus is operating in traffic. The emission of nitrous oxides and particles declines by 40-50% compared with a conventional diesel bus.
In the near future, Volvo Buses will also start field tests with the first of six hybrid double-decker buses in London.
(Source) Press
Tags: city environment, diesel bus, double decker buses, environmental demands, fuel consumption, gas carbon dioxide, greenhouse gas, hybrid bus, hybrid buses, hybrid solutions, hybrid technology, market penetration, nitrous oxides, traffic committee, traffic office, volvo brand, volvo buses, volvo group