EUROPE
Volvo Buses says it is launching a broader electric offer for customers in Europe, with the completely new Volvo 8900 Electric and an upgraded Volvo 7900 Electric, together with the existing Volvo BZL and Volvo BZR platforms. With its new line-up Volvo Buses believes it can offer sustainable public transport solutions covering all of the bases: intercity and commuter services.
“Many cities and regions in Europe have come far in the electrification of city traffic, and commuter and inter-city transport is a natural next step. We are very happy that we can offer our customers sustainable, efficient and high-quality products that meet their needs,” said Thomas Nylund, Head of Volvo Buses Europe.
The new Volvo 8900 Electric is based on the global Volvo BZR platform, and is a low-entry bus for city, inter-city and commuter services. It is available as both two- or three-axle versions and can carry up to 110 passengers. Depending on needs, it can be equipped with one or two electric motors, which gives it an output of up to 400kW, or 540 horsepower. A modular energy storage system gives it a battery capacity of up to 540 kWh.
“The routes in commuter and inter-city transport are very different. With the new Volvo 8900 Electric, we have a flexible and reliable solution that can be optimised and adapted for our customers’ different prerequisites and needs,” adds Thomas.
In parallel with the launch of the new Volvo 8900 Electric, the Volvo 7900 Electric, including the articulated version, has been upgraded, says Volvo, which supplies its low-floor buses to 25 different countries.
Both the 7900 and 8900 have several new features aimed at improving driver comfort and safety. The driver’s environment has been completely redesigned and a dynamic instrument cluster with easy-to-read and logically placed controls installed to help the driver stay focused and free of distractions.
The buses are also equipped with Volvo’s latest active safety systems, with particular focus on unprotected road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. In many cases, Volvo says, the safety systems exceed the standards set by EU regulations, as well as many of the other legal requirements found in the rest of the world.
The chassis for the Volvo 7900 Electric, Volvo 7900 Electric Artic and Volvo 8900 Electric are manufactured at Volvo Buses’ plant in Borås, Sweden. The bodies will be manufactured by Volvo Buses’ partner MCV in Egypt, where a completely new production facility for Volvo’s complete electric buses is currently being built.
Production of the 7900 and 8900 is expected to begin in early and mid-2025 respectively.
“Together with our partner MCV, we are looking forward to delivering premium products of the highest quality to our customers and together continuing to develop Volvo Buses’ offer with new solutions that meet the needs of city and inter-city transport, both today and into the future,” concluded Thomas.
