Volvo Buses

INDIA

Volvo Buses drives its CNG buses into India

In a move to further strengthen the Volvo city bus experience and also re-iterate the company’s stance on eco-efficiency, Volvo Buses has introduced the CNG bus for the Indian market. Developed on the strong technology and comfort of the Volvo city bus, this CNG variant is built in India for India by a highly experienced team of experts from Sweden and India. It also highlights Volvo’s increasing resourcefulness to cater to customers needs in India and drive the change. This is Volvo’s next big step in keeping with the strong momentum it has been gaining in the market.

The CNG bus will be built in the high end manufacturing plant in Bagalore, Hoskote and like all products from the Volvo stable adhere to the highest quality, safety and technology standards. Features like the high-peforming CNG engine with the most optimum power-to-weight ratio & perfectly matched driveline allows for new standards across all key transport elements – reliability, performance, life-cycle costs, passenger comfort & safety.
   
Volvo Buses is now in India for more than 8 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 soluions 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 Akash Passey, MD, Volvo Buses India Private Limited. “Today, Volvo has the richest experience when it comes to high-performing buses in India and we are happy to be a leading & integral player in the progress our industry is witnessing.”

Volvo City Buses today operate across 10 cities in India including Navi Mumbai, Kolkata, Pune, Bangalore, Mysore, Faridabad, Chennai, Thiruvanathapuram, Kochi, and Hyderabad.

The CNG variant also houses the new trasnmission from Volvo - Ecolife, which aims to offer the driver and passengers a superior drive experience. It offers significant fuel reduction opportunities due to a fine-tuned optimised gear system which operates at the most efficienct 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. This bus will now have an even stronger retarder system which ensures that the ride is even more jerk-free than ever. There is also far little noise in turn and much lesser heat passed onto the brakes.

Many a details make this product special. For example an active protection to cut off ignition system when refilling, Volvo Electrical System, and high standards of fire protection in the connectors, wiring harnesses and the vehicle multiplex. In case of an unlikely event an automatic fire extinguiser system and also a warning device for driver alongwith direct control remains in place.

Akash Passey continues to add “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 specifcally the CNG installation. I must say I am very excited with the new product. It promises to be a high performing product while providing all the features Indian cities have come to expect from a Volvo."

Volvo has seen good momentum in its sales, with a 30% increase over last year, even during the downturn in the past year. It has also been successful in being a key tool in making public transport more attractive to passengers. Majority of passengers in a typical Volvo Fleet are those who have left behind their personal vehicles. Volvo is committed to offering a Total Partnership in terms of Building, Delivering and Supporting urban mobility solutions.

The Technology behind the Volvo 8400 CNG City Bus.

Behind the Volvo City Buses’ immense popularity among citizens lies sustainable and modern technology that promises to provide safe and caring transport that lasts a long time through a city’s development phases

Produced in Bangalore at the Volvo Factory, these buses bring with them the world’s latest safety features including: Automatic Transmission; Electronic Braking system; anti-roll; front under-run protection device; Disk Brakes; electro-pneumatic safety doors; anti-skid protection, hill start aid with grade ability, brake temperature, warning, poor brake performance warning. Features that help not only to protect passengers but other vehicles on the road too

The automatic transmission assures fatigue-less driving for drivers and a better bus ride for passengers. The low turning radius helps the bus move through crowded traffic with ease. The right power-to-weight ratio of the engine allows quick deceleration & acceleration across various terrains. The retarder system ensures that the bus movement, including braking is almost jerk-free for passengers. The Electronic Air Suspension takes bus comfort to a new level. Of course, the Volvo buses’ in-climate control alongwith the obove features provides an excellent environment to passengers making it a perfect setting to opt for a public transport over personal transport.
The Volvo City Bus on trial is disabled friendly, providing easy step less entry and features within for wheel chairs.

About Volvo City Buses are today part of most successful city bus systems in the world including Bangalore, Pune, Chennai, Mysore, Hyderabad, Navi Mumbai, London, Shangai, Hong Kong, Curitiba, Mexico, Finland, Sweden, Singapore and many more.

5th January 2010

For further information, please contact Sohanjeet Randhawa, Head Marketing of Volvo Buses India,

+91 98453 97336

Volvo Buses India Private Limited
Volvo Bus Corporation is one of the largest manufacturers of large buses and coaches. The range comprises complete vehicles, chassis, bus bodies, transport system solutions for metropolitan traffic, leasing, financing and service contract maintenance. Volvo Bus Corporation is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment, drive systems for marine and industrial applications, aerospace components and services. The Group also provides complete solutions for financing and service.