Composites manufacturer Exel Composites has worked with coach and bus supplier Yutong to provide fibreglass profiles for 33 electric buses that have been delivered to Helsinki. The introduction of the electric buses is part of the country’s goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by five million kilograms a year.
Headquartered in Vantaa, Finland, Exel designs and manufactures complex carbon fibre and fibreglass composite profiles. The manufacturer has provided Yutong with the skirt and side panels of the electric buses, which were delivered to Finnish bus and road operator, Pohjolan Liikenne.
The delivery of the electric buses is the first time that Yutong has entered the Finnish market, and it is also the largest volume of buses that Finland has purchased from overseas, said Excel. The country aims to have 400 electric buses operating in the capital by 2025.
“With Yutong’s aim to produce more environmentally public transport and to reduce carbon emissions by five million kilograms a year, composite materials are one of the key materials to help accomplish this,” said Kathy Wang, Head of Sales Region, North Asia at Exel Composites.
“The light weight of fibreglass was important to this project as it reduces operating costs, and helps to increase energy efficiency and environmental sustainability,” she explained. “Additionally, our composite profiles are resistant to deformation, chemicals and harsh road environments. Repairing fibreglass is straightforward and can be done in depot. This means that the overall operational maintenance and lifetime costs of the buses is decreased.
“We’re pleased to have been chosen as the manufacturer for this project. Our global reputation and experience as a composites manufacturer meant that we were able to meet the demanding requirements of Yutong,” she concluded.
