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Europe's largest order of electric buses to Gothenburg

Friday, November 8, 2019

Another 157 electric buses will be operating in the Gothenburg area. The order of the buses is the single largest in Europe and the partners of this deal are Transdev and Volvo. The addition of more electric buses will mean a quieter and cleaner urban environment for the citizens of Gothenburg.

In 2020, the new electric buses will be delivered to the operator Transdev and shortly thereafter the buses will be in traffic in Gothenburg, Mölndal and Partille. All buses will be of the new model Volvo 7900 Electric Articulated which have a capacity of 150 passengers. The energy consumption for these buses is 80 percent lower than for the corresponding diesel bus.

Charging will take place at fast charging stations along the route and due to the electric drive, both emissions and noise will greatly reduce. In addition, these buses can run in sensitive areas or in areas with special restrictions, which can create new opportunities for urban planning.

"It is immensely gratifying that we have secured Europe’s largest ever single order for electric buses – no less than 157 buses. Volvo is a pioneer in electromobility and sustainable public transport. This large order confirms that electric buses are already recognised as a sustainable and financially viable solution for demanding high-capacity public transport needs", says Håkan Agnevall, CEO of Volvo Buses.

“Transdev is today Europe’s leading operator of electric buses and we know what challenges there are with the transition to electric propulsion. We’ve therefore been extremely thorough in choosing a partner with a holistic approach, a partner that will be able to deliver both buses and charging infrastructure on time and with excellent uptime. Being able to announce that we have chosen Volvo as our partner for city bus operations in Volvo’s home city of Gothenburg is of course particularly satisfying”, says Gunnar Schön, CEO of Transdev Sweden.

“Electromobility creates new exiting opportunities for urban planning since we now get emission-free and quiet public transport that can operate closer to the city’s residents. Volvo aims to be a leader in increased electrification and to be a partner for cities that wish to implement long-term sustainable public transport solutions for their inhabitants”, concludes Håkan Agnevall.

Both Volvo and Transdev are ElectriCity partners and Volvo was a key stakeholder on our work on route 55, the first demo area within ElectriCity with electric buses and the electrification of buses on line 16.

Read more here