Hybrid bus in operation in Gothenburg
The first of Volvo's hybrid buses is now in operation and it is very popular among drivers.
"I have always liked driving Volvo's buses. This feels particularly important now that the company is investing in the environment," says Jaime Faundres, who has been driving buses for 20 years.
"The only thing you have to do is get used to the total silence at bus stops when the diesel engine is turned off. It's a fantastic feeling. I sit very proudly in my driver's seat, knowing that I am helping the environment," said bus drivers Rikard Säterbom and Jaime Faundres.
"I have been driving buses for 20 years and I prefer Volvo. Its buses give drivers a high level of quality and safety. I think it's really good for the future that Volvo Buses is investing in a hybrid bus," he said.
In the hybrid bus, there are two power sources that work together, a diesel engine and an electric motor. The bus can be powered by both of them in unison or separately. This enables the diesel engine to be turned off when the bus pulls up at a bus stop, for example,
thereby saving fuel, reducing emissions and making the city environment far quieter. Read more about our hybrid technology
"All you have to do is listen as we stand here in the noise produced by all the other buses stopping and starting. You can hardly make yourself heard. That's why it's so wonderful to start a completely silent hybrid bus," said Jaime Faundres.