Volvo Rolls with Electric Buses in Luxemburg

Beginning of June the first commercially manufactured all-electric Volvo buses started operating in the city of Differdange in Luxemburg. The operator is Sales-Lentz, which now has 4 electric buses, 12 electric hybrids, and 30 hybrids from Volvo in its fleet.

Differdange’s focus on electrically powered buses is part of the city’s ambitious sustainability drive, with public transport forming a crucial focus area. The four electric buses are used on four routes with length from 8 to 9.5 km.

Each bus is driven approximately 25 minutes, then the buses’ batteries are fast-charged in three to six minutes at the end stations using an open interface known as OppCharge (opportunity charging), which follows the ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association) recommendations. The charging stations in Differdange were supplied by Heliox.

In addition to the all-electric Volvo 7900 Electric, the Volvo Buses range of electrified vehicles includes hybrid buses and electric hybrid buses (plug-in hybrids). All told, the company has sold more than 3300 electrified Volvo buses globally.

Volvo 7900 Electric bus details are as follows:

• All-electric, two-axle, 12 metre long city bus with low floor and three doors;
• 80 % lower energy consumption than a comparable diesel bus;
• Silent, exhaust emission-free;
• Equipped with an electric motor and lithium-ion batteries;
• The batteries are charged at the end stations, taking just three to six minutes; and
• Can carry 85 passengers.

Category: General Update, Green