Volvo Buses unveiled the 7700 Hybrid at the 2012 Auto Expo - a vehicle that is already being sold and operated across 20 cities worldwide. The 7700 Hybrid, Volvo claims, has proven to save upto 37% on fuel consumption and over 50% in hazardous emissions in real-world conditions. The unveiling follows the recent launch of the New Volvo Bus Range - the Volvo 9400PX coach, Volvo 7400XL multi-axle city bus and Volvo 9100 coach.
Production of the 7700 had begun in May 2010 in Europe and since its launch, it's been a big hit in the European and American market. The 7700 Hybrid is powered by a smaller (than the regular Volvo low floors) diesel engine paired with an electric motor. This pairing can be used independently or, as per requirement, jointly. The batteries for the electric motor are charged by using the energy discharged as the brakes are applied. When the 7700 comes to a halt, the diesel engine shuts down and the bus then restarts with the help of the electric motor. The electric motor powers the engine upto 15-20 kph after which the diesel motor kicks in again. Which means in crawling traffic conditions, the diesel motor is disengaged and hence cuts down pollution by a huge margin.
Present at the unveiling was Akash Passey, Managing Director & CEO, Volvo Buses in South Asia. “At Volvo we have what is considered today as the world’s most efficient hybrid solution. Importantly it’s a part of our regular production system, developed by Volvo in-house, and proven in real operations for a long time now. Across various cities, across various routes it has given up to 37% of fuel savings, more uptime than typical diesel vehicle & of course saved over 50% in hazardous emissions. The Volvo Hybrid is very much the solution cities & environmentalists have asked for. We are ready. All we await is the demand & the direction from the authorities, so that we can apply this solution specifically to Indian needs. Today, the Volvo 7700 Hybrid has been unveiled to showcase our intent and readiness for India.” said Passey.
All the best to Volvo, then!
|
