MCV opens new plant for Volvo’s electric buses in Europe
The plant will build the Volvo 7900 Electric and 7900 Electric Artic city buses, alongside the Volvo 8900 Electric, which is designed for both city and intercity operations. With this expanded production line, Volvo aims to strengthen its electrification portfolio and ensure that vehicles can be tailored to the requirements of different operators across Europe.
Volvo Buses’ bodybuilding partner, MCV (Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles), began producing complete Volvo electric buses in 2024 while the facility was still under construction. The first units have already been delivered to customers in Europe.
With a footprint of 10,000 m² and construction completed within just 12 months, the new plant increases capacity and provides greater flexibility to adapt vehicles for different market and customer requirements. The first rollouts from the new facility are expected this autumn.
Volvo and MCV signed a Memorandum of Understanding back in 2023, allowing the latter to manufacture bodies under licence for the Volvo 7900 Electric and 7900 Electric Articulated city buses with two and three axles. Volvo Buses had previously decided not to manufacture complete buses in Europe. It will continue to build chassis, including the electric drives, with existing production at its two Swedish plants in Borås and Uddevalla to be retained. However, the bodywork and interiors will be supplied by MCV.
MCV is a company from Egypt that also wants to gain a foothold in Germany with its own electric city bus. MCV has plants in Egypt, Singapore and South Africa and was once founded as a general agency of Daimler. Since 2006, MCV has been producing vehicles under its own brand name, primarily based on chassis from other manufacturers – such as Mercedes-Benz and Volvo Buses.
“The business model to collaborate with body builders for the bus body is well established in many key markets around the world. For example, in the UK, MCV has been a reliable partner for over 15 years, supplying bodies for various Volvo bus models,” said Anna Westerberg, President of Volvo Buses.
“With an extended partnership with MCV, we can maintain and reinforce our standards of quality, safety, and sustainability. The new manufacturing plant combined with our joint history and ambitions to deliver the best solutions to our customers provide a solid foundation for growth,” Westerberg added.
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