The first commercially manufactured all-electric Volvo buses have started operating in Differdange, Luxemburg. Operator Sales-Lentz, has four electric, 12 electric hybrids, and 30 hybrid buses from Volvo in its fleet.
Of the same design due to come to Harrogate, they use opportunity charging from overhead masts.
“The start of operations with the Volvo 7900 Electric marks yet another important step for all of us who work for a cleaner, quieter urban environment and more attractive public transport.
“We are in the vanguard of next-generation public transport,” says Håkan Agnevall, President of Volvo Buses.
Differdange’s four electric buses are used on four routes of 8-9.5 km each.
Each bus is driven approximately 25 minutes, then the buses’ batteries are fast-charged in three to six minutes at the end stations using an open interface known as OppCharge (opportunity charging), which follows the ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers Association) recommendations
