Volvo Buses showcased its new intercity coach range at the show. The New Volvo 9400 range signifies Volvo’s preparedness in meeting changing customer requirements and passenger aspirations and developing the regulatory scenario in India. The range includes the Volvo 9400, 12.0m coach with the New 8 lt. engine sourced from VECV’s Pithampur facility manifesting the company’s earlier stated localisation strategy.
The best-selling Volvo 9400, 13.8m multi-axle coach gets a boost with the engine being upgraded from 9lt. to 11 lt. to meet BS-IV emission norms. The 11 lt. engine in the Volvo 9400, 14.5m coach is upgraded to meet the upcoming BS-IV emission regulations, besides improvements for enhanced performance.
The New Coach Range presentation coincides with the completion of Volvo Buses’ 15-year journey in India. Over the years, Volvo has established itself as the leader in the Indian bus industry. The company has achieved this by its sustained commitment to the success of its customers. The new range addresses the evolving requirements of the customers and drivers, as well as aspirations of passengers. The products represent Volvo Buses’ commitment to offer solutions that meet the highest standards of quality, comfort, luxury, safety and performance.
Volvo Buses had earlier stated its plans to source engines from the VECV joint venture. The new 8 litre engine presented at the show is evidence of the efforts made towards localisation of key aggregates. As such, the bus body in all Volvo buses manufactured in India are 100 percent localised. The launch of this engine also highlights Volvo Buses’ capability to leverage the local manufacturing competence to meet the market potential. The engines in the new range comply with BS-IV emission norms that come into effect in April 2017.
Talking at the launch of the new coach range at the fair, Mr. Hakan Agnevall, President, Volvo Bus Corporation, said: “Volvo Buses has always positioned itself to provide products that deliver the right value to our customers. The new engine range is a good example of India’s role in our global plans. The way forward for us is to offer in India the latest solutions that can provide the finest ownership experience to the operators.”
Sharing his views, Mr. Akash Passey, Senior Vice President – Business Region International, Volvo Bus Corporation, said: “Our journey in India over the last 15 years has helped create awareness and acceptability towards bus travel among people. The bus transport business and the bus manufacturing industry have undergone a sea-change since we launched our first product. We take pride in being acknowledged as a catalyst to this transformation. Volvo Buses will continue to take initiatives to make a difference to our customers, which is our commitment to the market.”
Volvo has sold more than 6,000 buses in India, which includes 4,500 coaches that are helping connect 100-plus locations across India. The Trust for Volvo among scores of passengers is based on their experience of a safe, comfortable and luxurious journey – an experience that redefined bus travel. Key routes like Mumbai-Pune, Bangalore-Chennai, Bangalore-Hyderabad, Bangalore-Jodhpur, Jaipur-Delhi, Mumbai-Ahmedabad and Hyderabad-Mumbai, to name a few, have become synonymous with Volvo services on these routes.
Mr. VRV Sriprasad, Managing Director – South Asia, Volvo Buses, shared: “Volvo Buses has always taken the lead in introducing new technologies and concepts. We work closely with our customers, and this is reflected in our products and services that help ‘create value’. The New Range aims to redefine inter-city travel in terms of luxury, comfort and safety. We reaffirm our commitment to impart the best bus travel experience to our customers, drivers and passengers.”
At Volvo Buses, a coach is not just a vehicle. It is considered as a production unit in the operator’s business that can increase customer revenue and improve the efficiency. There is growing demand for adopting inter-city buses as an efficient and safe means of mobility. Volvo is responding to this evolving scenario and with the new Volvo 9400 range customers can cover all their needs as well as that of passengers.
The New Range will be manufactured at Volvo Buses’ facility near Hosakote, Bengaluru. From the assembly of chassis to roll-out of complete buses, this facility follows the Volvo Bus Production Systems that are implemented in all Volvo manufacturing sites across the world. It involves people, method, management and material – key to efficient working, enhanced quality and safer work environment.
Volvo Buses’ other products for India also include the Volvo 8400 city bus, 1500 units of which are operating in 34 locations in the country. In early 2016, the company also unveiled the Volvo 8400 hybrid city bus – India’s first hybrid bus to be certified and delivered to Navi Mumbai Municipal Transport (NMMT). The first two units of these buses are in operation in the Navi Mumbai-Mumbai-Thane region on the megacity.