Bus operator Autobus de la ville de Luxembourg (AVL) has ordered 5 electric hybrid buses from Volvo as part of its sustainable mobility investment initiative.

Luxembourg was one of the first cities in Europe to implement buses with hybrid technology and has expanded its network to the 14 Volvo 7900 Hybrids which currently operate in the city.

AVL has now taken a further step in the electrification of the public transport system with the purchase of five Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrids and ABB bus chargers to join the network towards the end of 2016. One of the bus chargers will be placed at the central station in the Luxembourg-Gare district.

"The decision to operate the first electric hybrid plug-in buses by the end of 2016 in the City of Luxembourg perfectly aligns with our continuous efforts to create a sustainable city," explained Sam Tanson, First Deputy Mayor of the City of Luxembourg, in charge of Finance and Mobility. "The society will immediately benefit from this project through a cleaner environment, reduced noise levels and increased comfort during bus journeys. This ambitious pioneering project represents the starting point in our endeavour to a zero emission urban bus system for the City of Luxembourg in the near future."

Håkan Agnevall, President Volvo Buses, described electric bus systems as "a cost-efficient solution for cities to reduce the problems of poor air quality and noise", adding: "Emission-free, silent buses also open up entirely new possibilities for urban planning."

The sector has been identified as one of the most promising in the Grand Duchy's strategy to become a leader in sustainable mobility through diversification and a green economy. The government aims to reduce the environmental impact and the volume of traffic generated by the some 160,000 people who commute to and from Luxembourg City every day. The goal is to cut overall carbon dioxide emissions by at least 20% by 2020.

A Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid can be powered by electricity for up to 70% of operating time and involves a 60% reduction in energy consumption and between 75% and 90% lower carbon dioxide emissions than a corresponding conventional diesel bus.

 

Photo by Volvo