Volvo’s coach, intercity and electric buses won ‘Best Travel High Decker’, ‘Best Intercity Bus’ and ‘Best Electric Bus’ respectively in the import rankings at the ETM readers’ choice digital awards ceremony in Stuttgart, Germany.
A total of 8,125 readers from commercial vehicle trade magazines took part in the 24th ETM publishing house ceremony, which was held virtually due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The results of the awards have been the most important benchmark for commercial vehicles since 1997 and remain a reliable indicator in the industry.
The awards were presented by Julian Hoffmann, Head of Test and Technology at ETM, but were handed over in advance to Thomas Hartmann, Managing Director of Volvo Buses Germany.
“Innovation and consistent fulfillment of the highest standards in terms of safety, comfort and digital technology make not only Volvo Buses, but above all our customers successful. This triple award is therefore a great honor and an important sign of recognition for our services and our ability to innovate,” says Thomas Hartmann.
The guests followed the digital event concept online, in which the coach, intercity and electric buses from Volvo were chosen as the winners.
Best Travel High Decker – the Volvo 9900 coach
Winning in the coach segment shows that the premium Volvo 9900, the benchmark for safe and comfortable travel, has ushered in a new era for short and long-distance transport in the European market. An attractive design, fuel-saving aerodynamics and a safety standard at the highest level characterize this model. Introduced in 2018, the Volvo 9900 has also been named Coach of the Year in Spain and Ireland. The model has also received the Red Dot Award design prize, the Sustainability Award, the Grand Coach Award and an award for best safety – the Safety Label Coach – at the international Busworld show in Brussels last year.
Best Intercity Bus – the Volvo 8900
The Volvo 8900 is a real all-rounder and fulfills all requirements for changing operations in city, interurban, shuttle and feeder traffic. It is available as a two- or three-axle vehicle and in seven versions from 12.0 to 14.9 metres in length. Due to the large number of different variants, it is versatile and offers maximum availability, reliability, easy maintenance and low operating costs.
Best Electric Bus – the Volvo 7900 E/EA
Winner of this newly created category (in 2019), the clean and quiet Volvo 7900 E and fully electric articulated Volvo 7900 EA offer up to 80% higher energy efficiency compared to corresponding diesel buses. Their lithium-ion batteries can be charged around the clock, and the Volvo 7900 EA can carry up to 150 passengers. As a full-service provider, Volvo Buses is making it easier for European cities to introduce electrical technology in the bus sector with a modular service portfolio that covers all aspects of scheduled operations.
“Winning in three different categories makes us extremely proud and it also shows that Volvo Buses have a broad product range that can be adapted to each customers transports needs,” says Thomas Hartmann.