Volvo Buses
Australia
Three years on from the introduction of the 4 Volvo B5L S-Charge Hybrids into McDermott’s Coaches’ Tasmanian fleet, Managing Director, Simon McDermott has said that the hybrid vehicles have been a big step in the right direction for electrifying McDermott’s fleet and protecting the world heritage site, Cradle Mountain.
“It was wonderful being the first operator in Tasmania to introduce these hybrid vehicles,” said Simon.
“It was extremely easy implementing Volvo’s Hybrids. After purchasing them, they just went straight into service without the need for any charging infrastructure. It was also great having Volvo’s Environmental Zoning set up which has made such a difference, in allowing the Hybrids to run in electric mode when operating inside Cradle Mountain national park.”
Simon McDermott
With Cradle Mountain being one of Tasmania’s most visited and protected natural attractions, with lush habitats and diverse wildlife, it has been a priority for McDermott’s to minimise their environmental footprint. Being the state’s largest transport provider specialising in tours and charters, McDermott’s acknowledge that Volvo Hybrids have played a major role in facilitating environmentally friendly transport.
Volvo’s integrated Zone Management technology has allowed McDermott’s to implement designated Environmental Zones, where the Volvo B5L S-Charge product automatically switches to full electric drive mode, allowing a quiet and emission free zone without the need for driver intervention.
McDermott’s implementation of Volvo’s Zone Management technology in the Volvo B5L S-Charge units has enabled C02 emission reductions of up to 42% and allowed for an additional 2 litres of fuel savings per 100km on top of the existing fuel savings with the hybrid units.
The Volvo B5L S-Charge is powered by a Volvo D5K Euro 6 engine – a modern powertrain, combined with the parallel hybrid electric motor. The diesel engine produces 240hp with the electric motor boosting to an additional 110kW of performance, making it ideal for tackling the various inclines of Cradle Mountain. The driver and passengers enjoy a quieter ride as the bus is propelled entirely electrically from start and up to 15-20 km/h. At higher speeds, the bus is powered by the hybrid system
These hybrid benefits have been key factors in the success of the Volvo B5L S-Charge in Cradle Mountain, with Simon McDermott recognising the important role these hybrids will play in the future of transport.
“I think hybrid will play a key role in the transition to electric. As much as we’ve progressed with e-mobility we have a bit of a way to go to make it an even mix. Hybrid is the first step we’ve taken at McDermott’s and it’s a great and easy option to implement without any infrastructure or a huge amount of investment.”
Simon McDermott also accredited much of the success of the Volvo Hybrids to the team at Volvo Bus Australia for their aftersales support and dedication to servicing McDermott’s Coaches.
“Volvo have been fantastic. From now and well into the future, I will continue to purchase Volvo vehicles because of the support from Sam Compasso and the rest of the Volvo team. No matter the issue, the team always look after me.”
Together, Simon and the team at Volvo have worked closely to ensure the Volvo B5L S-Charge units and the rest of McDermott’s fleet are operating with maximum uptime and efficiency – something that Volvo Bus Australia General Manager, Mitch Peden strives towards.
“McDermott’s Coaches are a valued long-time partner of ours that we have been proud to service over the years. Facilitating their move towards sustainable transport with our Volvo B5L S-Charge Hybrid, has been an incredible milestone for us and we’re so proud to see the positive environmental impacts of this technology in a world heritage site,” says Peden.
“The success of these buses in Cradle Mountain is a true testament to the joint vision shared between McDermott’s Coaches and Volvo Bus Australia in achieving our common goals of safe reliable transport and environmental care. We thank Simon McDermott and the team at McDermott’s Coaches for placing their trust in our Volvo Bus products and our dedicated bus team.”