The new order of 90 electrical Volvo Buses will help Belgian cities reach their environmental goal. The same hybrid bus model is a part of the sustainable public transport project ElectriCity in Gothenburg and operates quietly, exhaust -free on electricity, and recharges in 3-4 minutes.

Volvo Buses has secured its largest ever order for complete solutions for electric bus traffic. The same solution is behind the bus, route 55, in the sustainable city project ElectriCity, in Gothenburg. Together the Belgian cities of Charleroi and Namur have ordered 90 Electric Hybrid buses and 12 charging stations. ABB will deliver the charging stations.

The buyer is public transport company TEC Group.

–        As public transport company, the TEC Group is very proud to be a leader in the increase of the energy efficiency of its fleet. This strategic investment will participate in the improvement of the quality of life in the main city centers and will allow the Walloon Region to achieve its environmental goals. The hybrid technology is the best compromise between the operational constraints and the energy efficiency for urban buses today”, said Vincent Peremans, CEO TEC Group.

The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid operates quietly and exhausts emission-free on electricity for about 70 percent of its route. Battery recharging takes 3 to 4 minutes with so-called opportunity charging. Energy consumption is about 60 per cent lower than for a corresponding diesel bus. Volvo’s electric hybrids have already entered service in cities such as Gothenburg, Stockholm, Hamburg, Luxemburg, Namur and Curitiba.

Volvo’s electric hybrids and ABB’s fast-charging systems are based on a common interface known as OppCharge, whereby electrified buses from other vehicle manufacturers can also use the charging stations. More than 12 countries are implementing OppCharge at the moment as a common interface.

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ElectriCity is a demo project in Gothenburg and a part of the study tours provided by Green Gothenburg. The project is a progressive, award-winning collaboration between industry, research, and society that develops and tests new solutions for tomorrow’s sustainable transport.

More information about ElectriCity»