"It's particularly gratifying that our home town of Göteborg is choosing to invest in the best environmental alternative available on the market," said Volvo Buses President Per Carlsson at the handover of the hybrid buses at Gustav Adolfs Torg in central Göteborg.

Less environmental impact globally and locally
The fuel consumption of these hybrid buses is about 37 percent lower than that of regular diesel buses, which in turn cuts carbon dioxide emissions by the same amount. In Göteborg, a decision was also taken to run the city's hybrid buses on biodiesel, which further reduces their climate footprint. Emissions of particulates and nitrogen oxides are half those of a conventional diesel bus.

725 hybrid buses in more than 18 countries
Since Volvo Buses started commercial production of hybrid buses two years ago, demand has increased steadily. To date 725 hybrid buses have been sold in more than 18 countries. For the 260 buses already in regular operation, their total mileage is equivalent to 200 times round the planet. In the Nordic region, the number of hybrids in operation now totals 100, including the 25 recently delivered to Göteborg.

"Our hybrid buses are a huge sales success. The experience our customers have so far as regards fuel consumption, reliability, environmental impact and passenger perception exceed even our own expectations. I'm convinced that the people of Göteborg will also appreciate their new hybrid buses," says Per Carlsson.

Energy-efficient
Volvo's hybrid buses feature a small diesel engine and an electric motor. The energy generated when the bus brakes is harnessed, thus helping to radically reduce fuel consumption. At bus stops, the diesel engine is switched off and the bus is propelled electrically - which means quietly and without any exhaust emissions at all.

For images, go to Volvo Buses' image gallery (search for Volvo_hybrid_handover)

For further information, please contact Christina Fjellman, Vice President Corporate Communications, +46 70 2696010, christina.fjellman@volvo.com