Electrification of Värnamo’s bus services will contribute to more appealing public transport and a better urban environment, with less noise and better air quality. At the same time, the buses will operate more frequently and accessibility will improve, not least with construction of an all-new bus lane. The aim is to quadruple the number of journeys by public transport over a three-year period.

- With this move we are taking yet another step in the construction of tomorrow’s attractive city, with our sights firmly set on developing as a human-centric growth municipality with a population of 40,000 by 2035, says Behnam Sharo, Värnamo city architect.

- We are very pleased about the investment, it shows the possibilities to be at the forefront when it comes to new technology, even though you are situated outside Sweden’s three largest cities, says Rune Backlund, region politician.

Turnkey solution for quiet and climate-smart operation  

The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid operates quietly on electricity and without any exhaust gases for about 70 percent of its route. Charging the batteries at the charging station takes three to four minutes with the help of a system known as opportunity charging. Compared with a corresponding diesel-powered bus, the electric hybrid uses about 60 percent less energy all told. The buses operating in Värnamo will run on renewable electricity and renewable HVO fuel, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 90 percent.

The four electric hybrid buses and their ABB charging station will be delivered as a turnkey solution, with Volvo assuming responsibility for maintenance of the buses and their batteries at a fixed monthly cost.

The programme to electrify Värnamo’s public transport is a joint effort by Värnamo municipality and county transport provider Jönköpings länstrafik. Traffic operations will be handled by Nettbuss. Volvo’s electric hybrids and electric buses are already in service in cities such as Gothenburg, Stockholm, Hamburg, Luxemburg and Curitiba.

ABB OppCharge (Opportunity Charging) station  

•   Open interface between charging station and vehicle.
•   Charging output 150 or 450 kW.
•   Pantograph attached to the charging pylon makes it possible to fit a cost-effective, lightweight solution on the bus roof.
•   Conductive charging via pantograph, with communication between bus and charging station via WiFi.

For more information about OppCharge: www.oppcharge.org and Volvo Buses http://www.volvobuses.com