Volvo driving CNG buses into India

In a move to further strengthen the Volvo city bus experience and also reiterate the company’s stance on eco-efficiency, Volvo Buses has introduced its CNG bus for the Indian market. Developed on the strong technology and comfort of the Volvo city bus, this CNG variant has been designed in India by a highly experienced team of Swedish and Indian experts. It also highlights Volvo’s increasing resourcefulness to cater to customers’ needs in India and drive the change, in keeping with the strong momentum it has been gaining in this growing market.

The CNG bus will be built at the Hoskote plant in Bangalore, and like all products from the Volvo stable it adheres to the highest quality, safety and technology standards. Features like the high-peforming CNG engine with the most optimum power-to-weight ratio and perfectly matched driveline allow for new standards across all key transport elements – reliability, performance, life-cycle costs, passenger comfort and safety.

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

“With the Volvo CNG city bus, we are now ready for an even larger share of the city bus segment. With over 50% share in the diesel AC segment, we look forward to the CNG segment with earnestness. We are now ready to establish new standards in this segment in consonance with our core values of quality, safety and care for the environment”, said Mr. Akash Passey, Managing Director, Volvo Buses India Private Ltd. “Today, Volvo has the richest experience when it comes to high-performing buses in India, and we are happy to be a leading and integral player in the progress our industry is witnessing.”

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 with its fine-tuned optimised gear system that 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. The bus will now have an even stronger retarder system to ensure that the ride is even more jerk-free. There is also far little noise in turn and much lesser heat passed onto the brakes.
Volvo city buses today operate across 10 cities in India – Navi Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Bangalore, Mysore, Faridabad, Chennai, Thiruvanathapuram, Kochi and Hyderabad.

Mr. Akash Passey added: “For us at Volvo, bringing about an alternate model such as CNG is more than just about another fuel. It demands that we create a perfectly matched driveline which requires detailed design on each aspect, from the engine to the transmission, to the axles and the rest of the bus, besides specifically the CNG installation. It promises to be a high performing product while providing all the features Indian cities have come to expect from a Volvo bus.”