Volvo receives electric bus order from the Arctic Circle
The northern Norwegian city of Bodø has ordered 31 electric buses from Volvo. The contract also covers the charging infrastructure and maintenance. When the buses go into service in July 2021, they will be the northernmost electric buses in the world and the first to be put into operation north of the Arctic Circle.
As part of its climate goals, Norway has decided that all of the country’s city buses must be emission-free by 2025. What can still be implemented well in the south of the country will become a challenge further north. As Volvo now states in the order announcement, the agreement was also only reached “after a particularly thorough analysis of Bodø’s unusual preconditions for electrified bus operation”.
“Every city is unique, and to create an optimal solution, it is vital that everything is properly designed to suit local conditions and needs,” explains Svenn-Åge Lökken, Sales Manager at Volvo Buses in Norway. “For that reason, our initial analysis, including route simulation, plays a crucial role in our business model. Topography, route frequency and proximity to the depot and workshop are other important considerations in our offer”.
As a result, the operator of Bodø’s bus fleet has now ordered 17 Volvo 7900 Electric buses at twelve metres each, and 14 articulated e-buses. These buses can carry up to 120 passengers.
The charging infrastructure also included in the order is supplied by ABB. Volvo Buses does not disclose the exact charging concept for Bodø in the notification. However, a published photo shows an electric bus attached to a pantograph fast charger. It can be assumed that the order will also include some depot chargers.
“This is the largest sustainability project for road transport in northern Norway, and it is of immense significance for both the region and for us,” says Anders Mjaaland, administrative director of Saltens Group, owner of Nordlandsbuss, which will operate the electric buses.
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