Volvo Buses has announced plans to expand its electric bus production for the European market by expanding its partnership with bodybuilder Manufacturing Commercial Vehicles (MCV).
The two companies have signed a letter of intent (LoI) to produce bodies for Volvo’s electric city and intercity buses, with serial production set to begin in summer 2024 and the first deliveries expected in early 2025.
The collaboration will see MCV produce bodies under license for the Volvo 7900 Electric and Volvo 7900 Electric Artic city buses, with both two and three axles. Volvo Buses and MCV will also work together to develop an electric offering for the intercity segment. Chassis production will continue at Volvo Buses’ plants in Borås and Uddevalla, Sweden.
Dan Pettersson, Senior Vice President at Volvo Buses, expressed his satisfaction with the partnership, stating: “We are very pleased that we have deepened our partnership with MCV since it has both the experience and the competence to produce bodies of the highest quality, meeting European standards and demands.” He adds that collaborating with an external bodybuilder will enable greater flexibility in meeting market requirements and customer demands.
Volvo Buses will continue to be the point of contact for customers, ensuring high standards in sustainability, safety, and quality. The company will also support customers with uptime services and spare parts, both for new offerings and existing Volvo bus fleets.
MCV has previously worked with Volvo Buses, successfully delivering bodies for electric buses used by Metroline in London. Karim Ghabbour, MCV President, expressed enthusiasm for the expanded partnership, saying: “We look forward to working together to create an attractive offer for its customers.”
The partnership with MCV is part of Volvo Buses’ new European business model, which focuses on chassis production while collaborating with external bodybuilders to offer a complete range of city and intercity coaches and buses. The LoI with MCV applies specifically to electric bus bodies for city and intercity segments in Europe, while Volvo Buses continues to explore additional offerings with other bodybuilders.
