Volvo’s first Electric Hybrid bus with plug-in technology has entered in commercial service on the Innovation Line 109 in Hamburg on December 18.
The bus can run 7 kilometers on electricity – silent and emission free. In only 6 minutes, it charges the battery full at the end stations. The bus saves approximately 60% energy compared to a diesel bus and lowers emissions by up to 80%.
Alongside three Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid buses, Volvo’s diesel hybrid buses in both 18 m articulated and 12 m versions will also be tested on the route, as well as battery fuel cell buses and fuel cell buses from other manufacturers.
The Innovation Route 109 of HOCHBAHN will be almost exclusively served by buses with innovative drive technologies. Different types and drive modes for the sustainable buses of the future are to be tested in parallel and under identical conditions. Conventional diesel buses will also be used on the route to serve as reference vehicles in the scientific comparison of the innovative drive concepts.
The city of Hamburg has established the target: from 2020, only emission-free buses should be acquired by the city.
The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid
With its world-first electric hybrid bus incorporating Euro 6 equipment, electric motor and plug-in technology, Volvo is further developing its electro mobile pioneering role. Charging takes place at the end stop using a pantograph that is integrated with the charging station. When the bus has reached its parking position under the charging mast, the pantograph is lowered to both of the charging bars on the roof of the bus when the driver presses a button. The complete charging process takes only six minutes.
The lithium ion iron phosphate charger provides the electric motor (150 kW) with power. The bus travels at least seven kilometers purely on electricity, before the Euro 6 diesel aggregate switches on. On the stretches driven only on electricity, the bus is completely emission-free and extremely low-noise: Near to a Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid, the noise level can be compared to normal conversation level.
The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid also offers a high level of flexibility of use: In selected areas, it can be driven on electricity alone, while it can be deployed as a hybrid bus on all scheduled routes. The technology used in the electric hybrid bus is that of the successful Volvo 7900 diesel hybrid bus, which ensures a high level of availability.
