Volvo Buses
Australia
The launch itself was a virtual event, broadcast across the globe and officially kicked off with a warm Swedish welcome and introduction from the President of Volvo Bus Corporation, Anna Westerberg. The launch featured segments from global Volvo Bus markets including Australia, the United Kingdom and Mexico – as well as segments from key Volvo Bus Australia personnel, including Mitch Peden, General Manager Volvo Bus Australia and Dean Moule, Electromobility Product Director, Volvo Bus Asia Pacific Region.
The event at Volvo Group headquarters featured the new complete Volvo BZL Electric chassis with a Volgren Optimus body, where it was able to be viewed up close in person by attendees, which included VBA’s dedicated bus team as well as key Queensland based customers, partners and other industry stakeholders.
The next stop on the Volvo BZL Electric journey, will be the official handover to the Western Australian Public Transport Authority (PTA), the first customer nationally to be operating the Volvo BZL. Western Australia’s Minister for Transport, the Honourable Rita Saffioti MLA, was part of the virtual launch on Monday night, acknowledging this important next step towards delivering electromobility to Australian customers.
“Our electromobility projects have been ongoing for more than a decade, and we are thrilled to have launched such an innovative product that offers our cleanest, safest and most sustainable technology to date for the Australian and New Zealand markets. We take pride in the fact that we have worked consistently to develop and refine the Volvo BZL Electric chassis, ensuring we were taking the appropriate steps in setting up long-term partnerships within the e-mobility space and working on developing specialised training, before officially launching this product – making sure that the Volvo BZL Electric offers the highest quality and safety standards, and ensuring the product will last in line with operator expectations in the Australian environment.”
The Volvo BZL Electric chassis is available in lengths from 9.9 to 12.5 metres, and features a proven driveline adapted from Europe, combined with the same trusted electrical system, suspension and pneumatic system as Volvo’s beloved B8RLE Euro 6 and B5LH hybrid products. Internally, the bus features a full low-floor layout meaning no steps in the aisle of the vehicle, providing unrivalled accessibility and comfort to passengers.
The Volvo BZL chassis has also been designed to ensure optimum and effortless accessibility and serviceability, in taking less time to service the chassis and costing less to do so – ensuring that buses are back in service more often and on the road where they should be.
“From an operator perspective, the Volvo BZL Electric chassis offers the complete package, with unparalleled serviceability, quality and reliability – with our dedicated bus team and largest dealer network in Australia committed to supporting customers as they transition the Volvo BZL Electric at each and every stage of their journey. The Volvo BZL Electric has been developed in line with stringent European and Australian standards and align with what our Australian and New Zealand customers need and expect from an electric product in terms of quality and safety – it really is a chassis designed for the long-haul,” concludes Peden.