Malmö route goes entirely electric from the middle of the monthThirteen Volvo electric buses start operating on route 7 in Malmö from mid-December and are described as one of the biggest investments ever in all-electric bus traffic in the country. The first service operated by Skånetrafiken, provider of public transport in the Skåne region, runs between Svågertorp and Ön via Malmö Centre, a distance of just under 15km.
“It’s really gratifying that one of Malmö’s main lines has now been fully electrified with our quiet and emission-free electric buses,” said Martin Spjern, Key Account Director at Volvo Buses Sweden.
“Electrically powered bus traffic helps considerably improve the everyday environment of everyone who lives, travels and spends time in our cities, and this is a development to which we naturally want to contribute.”
The electric buses will be Skånetrafiken’s first with a new interior design to meet the need for a comfortable and safe journey. A couch at the back makes it easier for passengers to sit together and ‘arches’ and rails should make it easier to move around.
USB sockets for charging mobile devices are close to each seat and special saloon lighting at night should make the journey feel more comfortable and safe.
Volvo has also sold all-electric buses to Gothenburg, and electric hybrids to Värnamo in Sweden. On the company’s overseas markets, it has sold all-electric buses to the United Kingdom, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway and Poland. All told there are more than 4,000 electrified Volvo buses in service globally.
