Volvo Buses India has recently announced the rollout of its Volvo 8400 City Bus featuring a ‘Made-in-India’ 8-litre engine. The bus is the first step towards Volvo Buses fulfilling an order for 100 units of the next generation city bus placed by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC). Featuring a new 8-litre engine manufactured by the Volvo Group JV in Pithampur, the bus is compliant with UBS-II norms apart from BSIV emission norms. R. Ramalinga Reddy, Honourable Minister for Transport, Government of Karnataka accepted keys to the bus.
Commenting on the rollout of the bus, Mr. Martin Lundstedt, President and CEO of the Volvo Group said, ‘Volvo Buses has been at the forefront of introducing new technologies and concepts in urban transport in India. Our privileged partnership with the BMTC has been integral to this journey. Having delivered the first city bus in 2006, we are proud to note that the BMTC now has over 700 Volvo Buses in its fleet. This order for the next generation of city buses is the start of the next phase of our shared drive to promote sustainable mobility.’
Dr. Ekroop Caur, Managing Director, BMTC stated, “Bengaluru’s urban mobility needs are growing rapidly. We are augmenting our fleet of premium buses to provide commuters a desirable alternative to personal vehicles that are leading causes of congestion and pollution.”
The locally manufactured Volvo D8C engine’s application is not restricted to India. “The ‘Made-in-India’ 8-litre engine has performed very well during internal assessments. We are encouraged to deploy it in other international markets that Volvo participates in,” shared Mr.Akash Passey, Senior Vice President, Business Region International, Volvo Bus Corporation.
All-round excellence
The Volvo D8C engine coupled with 6-speed automatic transmission and integrated retarder and optimised rear axle ratio delivers high performance required in city’s start-stop, meaning quick acceleration in the least possible time to enable quickest transit time from bus stop to city road. The engine supplies a peak power of 330hp in order to meet optimal power-to-weight ratio and ensure reserve power, which is critical to meet three areas, for good city duty cycle – instant acceleration, air-conditioning performance and gradeability.
Designed to be a workhorse for 17-hour duty cycles, the bus is easy to drive and offers excellent handling ability, rollover protection and safety is further boosted by powerful disc brakes on all wheels, roll stabilisers and a true-bus suspension system. The doors are equipped with sensitive edge to prevent passenger injury during accidental door closure.
Volvo Buses has been proactive when it comes to the incorporation of safety features. The company has been compliant with the bus body code well in advance of notification. All buses are also fitted with ABS as a standard since 2005, an initiative by Volvo that became a mandate for the entire commercial vehicle industry only in 2015.
The buses are especially friendly for passengers with impaired mobility. With entry at just 350mm, it is easy to get on and off the bus and the kneeling-feature along with pneumatic lifting and lowering mechanism enables the body to be lowered, while passengers are boarding and alighting. The clear door width of 1200mm in the front and rear of the bus helps in comfortable and quick entry and exit.
