Swedish Government invests in Volvo Buses’ hybrid development

Volvo Buses has been granted Government support from the Swedish Energy Authority for the development of its hybrid technology for buses.

Climate changes are one of the greatest problems currently facing the world. A reduced use of fossil fuels is a challenge for society as a whole.

“With Volvo’s new hybrid technology, we expect to be able to reduce the fuel consumption of buses by up to 35 percent,” says Edward Jobson, Environmental Manager at Volvo Buses.

Volvo Buses expects to be able to sell its first hybrid buses within a few years. However, the advanced technology involved requires a considerable amount of continued development work to make the buses commercially feasible. The hybrid vehicles that are currently available in the market are extremely expensive, so it is necessary for society to subsidize their operation.

“However, we expect our hybrid buses to be much more cost-effective than the buses based on the current technology. Our customers will ultimately be able to conduct their operations without requiring extra subsidies from society,” Edward Jobson adds.

“In fact, this is also a necessity if hybrid technology is to have a major impact on the market and contribute to a real reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.”

The Swedish Energy Authority has now granted Volvo Buses subsidies for its continued work on developing the hybrid driveline and the hybrid technology for two bus models.

The batteries required for the hybrid bus will increase the weight of the vehicle somewhat. However, because Volvo Buses has developed what is known as a parallel hybrid, the company can use a smaller and lighter engine, and thus keep passenger capacity at the same level as for today’s buses.