The time when diesel and CNG buses used to do duty on roads is gone and the next generation of eco-friendly buses are here to take the charge. Volvo, one of the leading premium bus manufacturer, is soon going to bring its new hybrid bus to India’s IT capital, Bangalore.
Volvo 7700 hybrid, unveiled at the 2012 Auto Expo earlier this month, is soon going to hit Bangalore roads and this has been confirmed by Karnataka Transport Minister R.Ashoka. Initially the bus will run on a trial basis for a period of two months after which it could be deployed permanently. It can accommodate 105 persons at once and incurs significantly less running costs.
As per a report, the bus cuts diesel fuel costs by as much as 30 % and being a hybrid you would not have to worry about emissions either. The bus runs on a combination of powertrains, a CRDi diesel motor and an electric motor which could be employed independently or jointly.
image – Volvo 7700 Hybrid
The regenerative braking system charges the battery every time brakes are applied while another technology stops the engine when the bus is stationary and restarts it once the vehicle reaches 15-20 kmph eventually saving more fuel.
If you are doubting the product’s performance, let me tell you the bus is successfully running in 20 cities of the world and has proved itself by saving up to 37 % fuel consumption and over 50 % emissions under actual operation.
Managing Director & CEO-Volvo Buses in South Asia, Akash Passey said, “At Volvo we have what is considered today as the world’s most efficient hybrid solution. Importantly it’s a part of our regular production system, developed by Volvo in-house, and proven in real operations for a long time now. Across various cities, across various routes it has given up to 37% of fuel savings, more uptime than typical diesel vehicle & of course saved over 50% in hazardous emissions. The Volvo Hybrid is very much the solution cities & environmentalists have asked for. We are ready. All we await is the demand & the direction from the authorities, so that we can apply this solution specifically to Indian needs. Today, the Volvo 7700 Hybrid has been unveiled to showcase our intent and readiness for India.”
It is an extremely good joint initiative of the Karnataka government and Volvo and I wish this happens in other metropolitans as well.
