First Volvo CNG low-floor city bus introduced in Delhi

Volvo Buses has announced introduction of its first Volvo 8400 low-floor CNG city bus in Delhi. Mrs. Sheila Dikshit, Delhi Chief Minister, flagged off the first bus from the Delhi Secretariat. His Excellency Lars-Olof Lindgren, Ambassador of Sweden to India, and Mr. Akash Passey, Managing Director, Volvo Buses India Private Ltd., were present on the occasion, besides Ministers and other senior officials from the Delhi Government.

The Volvo City Bus Experience, already operating in 12 cities of India, will now commence in the national capital through its CNG version. This initiative has been made possible with support from the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC).The Ambassador of Sweden to India said on the occasion: “Delhi has done a commendable job by adopting CNG as the fuel option for public transport. They have shown the way for other cities in India that are also eagerly opting for natural gas over other fossil fuels. Volvo has been at the forefront of innovation in mass transport solutions and has always displayed a keen interest in developing vehicles that are beneficial to the environment as well as the public in general. This initiative is another milestone for both the city of Delhi and for Volvo Buses”.

Mr. Akash Passey observed: “At Volvo Buses we have a responsibility – to make public transport more attractive in order to encourage people to adopt public transport. This is something we have successfully implemented across 12 cities in India. With the Volvo CNG city bus, we are now advocating both mass transport and environmental benefits to people. Over the years Volvo Buses India has established its credibility in offering the best urban transport solutions. We already have a majority share in the low-floor diesel AC segment, and are confident of consolidating this position with the CNG variant.”

Backed by world-renowned Volvo technology, this CNG variant of the Volvo city bus is built in India by a highly experienced team of experts from Sweden and India. The availability of CNG variant highlights Volvo’s increasing resourcefulness to cater to dynamic customer needs and drive the change.

The CNG city bus will be built at the state-of-the-art manufacturing plant of Volvo Buses India in Hoskote near Bangalore. Like all products from the Volvo stable, the CNG city bus adheres to the highest quality, safety and technology standards. The high-performance CNG engine has been designed to meet the rigours of city driving conditions.

The Volvo 8400 low-floor CNG city bus has the best power-to-weight ratio in its class and a perfectly matched driveline enhances the driving performance. This product typifies the strengths of Volvo in terms of reliability, better performance, optimal operating costs, passenger and driver comfort and safety.

The CNG variant also houses the new transmission from Volvo – Ecolife, which aims to offer the driver and passengers a superior drive experience. It offers significant fuel reduction opportunities due to a fine-tuned optimised gear system which operates at the most efficient speed ranges in terms of fuel consumption. It has been equipped with intelligent systems to recognise when a vehicle is moving into idle or into gear thereby reducing fuel consumption again. This bus will now have an even stronger retarder system which ensures that the ride is even more jerk-free than ever. There is also far less noise in turn and much lesser heat passed onto the brakes.

Mr. Akash Passey added, “For us at Volvo, bringing the CNG variant is more than just about another fuel. It showcases our intent of being an environmentally responsible organisation committed to drive the change that will be beneficial to all. The Volvo CNG city bus will create a benchmark for others to follow.”

Volvo Buses has been in India for more than nine years and has the richest experience when it comes to high-performing bus applications. This, coupled with its state-of-the-art factory and overall profile of being a complete transport solutions provider, gives it a unique ability to be in a position to understand the needs of the Indian market and configure products accordingly.

The automatic transmission assures fatigue-less driving for drivers and a better bus ride for passengers. The low turning radius helps the bus move through crowded traffic with ease. The right power-to-weight ratio of the engine allows quick deceleration and acceleration across various terrains. The retarder system ensures that the bus movement, including braking, is almost jerk-free for passengers.

The electronic air suspension takes bus comfort to a new level. Of course, the Volvo buses’ in-climate control along with the above features provides an excellent environment to passengers making it a perfect setting to opt for a public transport over personal transport.

Volvo City Buses are today part of most successful city bus systems in the world including Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Mysore, Hyderabad, Navi Mumbai, London, Shangai, Hong Kong, Curitiba, Mexico, Finland, Sweden, Singapore and many more.