Volgren, a company owned by Marcopolo S.A. and an Australian leader in bus production, was present at the National Bus and Coach Show 2024, held on September 17 and 18 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The launches presented were the Volgren Optimus Electric, with Yutong E12 and BYD BC12 ‘Blade 1’ chassis options, and the Volgren Optimus Hydrogen, developed in partnership with Wrightbus.
The Volgren Optimus electric city bus, a tried and tested solution that operators have successfully implemented in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, is designed to suit various diesel, hybrid, electric and hydrogen chassis, and complies with the highest levels of quality, safety and flammability standards for buses in Australia. The models have a range of up to 350 kilometers and are offered in different full-length options, ranging from 11.7m to 12.5m and have one of the lightest zero-emission bus bodies in its class, the result of thousands of hours of research and dynamic testing.
Volgren Optimus Hydrogen began development in 2022, when the company signed a landmark agreement with Wrightbus, one of Europe’s leading hydrogen bus manufacturers, to introduce the first hydrogen-powered fuel cell buses to the Australian market. Hydrogen fuel cell buses will play an important role in the transition to zero-emission transport and Volgren is committed to accelerating this exciting technology.
In addition to the launches, the company also exhibited the electric Volgren Optimus city bus, with Volvo BZL chassis and the Marcopolo Audace 1050 intercity bus, with Volvo B8R chassis, currently produced at Marcopolo China.
Volgren is Australia’s largest bus manufacturer, with a 70% share and manufacturing and after-sales support operations in the country. The company built its first bus in 1979 and today designs and manufactures public transport buses of all kinds, in various technologies, including zero-emission vehicles.