SWITZERLAND
Public transport operator Bernmobil in Bern, Switzerland, is strengthening its fleet with 36 new Volvo 7900 S-Charge articulated buses. The new hybrid buses will reduce noise and greenhouse gas emissions in the city and feature a full electric propulsion system, enabling them to travel for longer in zero emission mode. Volvo says that intelligent zoning will manage the hybrid driving mode, providing the highest operational flexibility for the fleet and eliminate noise and emissions in pre-defined areas.
Markus Anderegg, Technical Director of Bernmobil, said: “The Volvo 7900 S-Charge meets our operational and technical requirements perfectly. The high capacity, the total cost of ownership, the excellent service support and the mature zoning and self-charging concept made the difference for us.”
Jean-Pierre Roemer at Volvo Buses Switzerland added: “The Volvo 7900 S-Charge is one of our cleanest buses, generating up to 40% lower CO2 emissions than a comparable diesel bus. In Bern, the CO2 emissions will be reduced by almost 50 tonnes per year. With the support of Volvo’s geofencing system, Volvo Zone Management, the vehicle can be programmed to drive in electric mode in low emission zones or in areas where it will be most beneficial to the community, such as bus stops and city centres.”
The Volvo 7900 S-Charge was launched in 2020 and uses hybrid technology that Volvo says has greatly improved in recent years. It requires no charging infrastructure, and uses the bus’ own energy recovery system to charge the batteries during operation. It can run on electric energy alone for distances up to one kilometre and at speeds up to 30mph, leading to fuel savings as well as reduced noise and CO2 emissions.
Bernmobil started the replacement of its diesel buses in 2006 and says that noise and greenhouse gas emissions have already been significantly reduced in the greater Bern area as a result. Fuel savings of more than 35% have also been reported with its existing Volvo Hybrid fleet.
“We at Volvo Buses are very proud to be a partner to Bernmobil in its electrification journey,” said Gerd Schneider, Volvo Buses Cluster Manager for Switzerland & Germany.
The buses will be manufactured at Volvo Buses’ production facility in Wroclaw, Poland and should be ready for delivery in December 2021.
