Volvo has released details of the revised MCV Evotor coach, which in its latest form will transition to the B8R chassis from the previous B11R.
The model is exclusive to the UK and Ireland and represents one of three developments of the Volvo coach range in those markets. It will debut here in early 2024. Debut of the Sunsundegui SC7 body on the new B13R chassis is another of those changes. The third is still to be confirmed.
Viewed as an entry-level coach, the B8R Evotor shows what the chassis manufacturer describes as “a subtle facelift” over the existing Evotor. It will come with PSVAR compliance as standard. The model is designed to take 53 seats and a toilet, although the latter can be dismantled to allow carriage of 55 passengers.
USB charging points and a Bosch audio-visual system will also be fitted as standard, while the B8R is equipped with the 7.7-litre D8K engine developing 350bhp and 1,585Nm of torque coupled to a 12-speed I-Shift automated manual gearbox.
News of change to the Evotor was first disclosed by Volvo Bus UK and Ireland Managing Director Domenico Bondi in September, with Mr Bondi noting then that the B8R chassis was seen as a more suitable base for the vehicle than the B13R replacement for the B11R.
Retail Sales Director Joseph Gisslow adds that the focus on developing the B8R Evotor was on providing a “reliable and cost-effective workhorse that is suitable for an array of different applications,” noting that Volvo and MCV have listened to operator feedback.
The new model will “bridge gaps in the wider domestic coach market,” and Mr Gisslow adds that strong interest and orders are already in hand.
He continues: “Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a smaller model. This is a full-size coach that we are able to offer at a very competitive price. The newcomer retains that superior level of passenger comfort and safety you would expect from a Volvo coach, and the eight-litre platform caters to operators looking for something that is more versatile.”
