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Volvo’s hybrid buses are being sold successfully in Europe. The company is now taking the next step and will commence test driving in Brazil and Mexico. In May this year, Volvo Buses launched serial production of its hybrid buses, the Volvo 7700 Hybrid and the double-decker Volvo B5L Hybrid. In a short time, the company has secured orders for about 150 hybrid buses in Europe.
Volvo Hybrid bus Curitiba
But the increasing demand for hybrid buses derives not only from Europe but also from several other places around the world.
Consequently, Volvo Buses has initiated test driving of buses with Volvo hybrid technology in South America and Mexico.
In South America, test driving is being conducted in cooperation with the Clinton Climate Initiative organization, which focuses on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. The organization has an agreement with Volvo, whereby they jointly demonstrate the major benefits provided by the hybrid technology and the BRT system with regard to reducing carbon emissions.
For the past few days, the first hybrid bus has been operating in test traffic in Curitiba, Brazil, in collaboration with URBS, the company responsible for local traffic in the city.
In 2014, Brazil will be hosting the Soccer World Cup and this is one of several reasons why many cities in Brazil are investing significantly to create more efficient and environmentally sound transport solutions. The test driving of Volvo’s hybrid buses is in line with this effort.
After Curitiba, the Volvo 7700 Hybrid will be tested in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and later also in Bogota, Colombia.
A Volvo 7700 Hybrid also recently arrived in Mexico, where it will be tested in Mexico City for a dedicated service running through the historic centre to connect two BRT lines using hybrids exclusively. It will also feature at a conference on sustainable transports in Mexico City and, in particular, at the major COP 16 climate conference in Cancun.