A comprehensive range of buses for suburban operations
23 OCTOBER 2017
Scania now presents its most comprehensive range of buses and coaches with the greatest selection of alternative fuels in the market. “We can now provide operators with an outstanding freedom of choice to make the necessary shift to more sustainable passenger transport services, with retained total operating economy,” says Karin Rådström, Head of Buses and Coaches at Scania.
The accelerating urban growth in the world is largely rapid suburbanisation rather than expanding city centres. That means longer commuter trips to work and, in fact, suburban public transport presently consumes three times more fuel than city centre transport.
“Thus, we need a greater focus on finding non-fossil and commercially viable alternatives for these journeys,”
Karin Rådström, Head of Buses and Coaches at Scania
At Busworld in Kortrijk, Scania unveiled the latest addition to its comprehensive range of buses and coaches – the hybrid Scania Interlink Low Decker. This bus complements the versatile Scania Interlink family of low, medium and high decker buses.
With the addition of hybrid technology, Scania now meets the entire scope of alternatives for suburban and inter-city operations. On certain routes with frequent stops, hybrid buses are the best choice in terms of fuel economy, carbon reduction and other emissions.
Impressive carbon reductions
The Scania Interlink LD is presently available for diesel, biodiesel, HVO, CNG/CBG, ethanol and, with the latest addition, hybrid. It complements the Scania Citywide Low Entry Suburban, which is also available for the full range of alternative fuels as well as a hybrid mode.
The electrified bus is primarily designed for suburb-to-suburb and suburb-to-city operations in order to benefit from the full energy and economic potential of hybridisation. With the longer annual distances in these operations, hybrid buses are preferable to battery electric buses, which additionally require charging infrastructures. Operators can hereby look forward to a favourable Total Operating Economy while, in parallel, reducing their climate impact. The combined hybrid operations with the use of biodiesel or HVO can give CO2 savings of up to 90 percent.
”With the hybrid Scania Interlink LD as a further extension of our product portfolio, we now offer a fully comprehensive range for suburban operations, which constitute the greatest share of urban public transport.” says Karolina Wennerblom, Director, Product Management and Presales, Buses & Coaches.
Furthermore, Scania at Busworld premiered its battery electric Scania Citywide Low Floor bus. This bus will be trialled in late 2017 to ensure that it meets the highest Scania standards before commercial release during 2018.
Scania also showcased its versatile coach range at Busworld. The 12.9-metre Scania Touring coach offers an exceptional fuel consumption of less than two litres per 10 kilometres and very competitive value for money. This coach can operate on biodiesel, thereby reducing carbon emissions by more than 60 percent compared to conventional diesel.
The new 12.8-metre complete Scania Interlink High Decker intercity coach was also on display at Busworld. Operating on HVO fuel, the Scania Interlink HD reaches an impressive carbon reduction of up to 90 percent. It features the widely acclaimed Scania 410 hp engine, wheelchair lift and exceptional storage space.
NEW GAS TANK EXTENDS RANGE
Scania is extending the operational range of its gas buses. In spite of this greater capacity, the new carbon fibre composite tanks are lighter than earlier with the potential for increasing passenger capacity.
“Cities and regions around the world are increasingly taking measures to curb pollution and reduce carbon emissions. Switching to gas propulsion is an attractive alternative, reducing not only emissions but also noise,” says Karin Rådström, Head of Buses and Coaches at Scania.
With the new gas tanks, Scania Citywide Low Floor and Scania Citywide Low Entry with 1,575-litre tanks will have a range of approximately 400–450 kilometres, depending on the traffic situation, topography and gas fuel quality. The top-of the-range 1,875-litre tanks will primarily benefit articulated buses, which can achieve a range of 600–700 kilometres, also depending on traffic and fuel quality.
For bus chassis, Scania offers tanks with volumes 1,260, 1,575 and 1,875 litres.
UPTIME GUARANTEED
Scania is at the forefront of connectivity with nearly 300,000 connected vehicles. This enables Scania to extend its service Fleet Care, which enables bus operators to fully focus on providing passenger services while Scania ensures timely maintenance and repairs. This service is now being broadened with the introduction of Scania Fleet Care with Uptime Guarantee.
The new service additionally focuses on maintaining uptime. Operators can select the uptime they wish to uphold in a given time frame. City bus operators might, for example, opt for 100 percent uptime Mondays through Fridays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Scania will then ensure that maintenance and repairs are carried out on weekday evenings and nights as well as during weekends.
“We are giving operators a wide choice in selecting the hours that really matter for them, namely those generating revenue,” says Claes Åkerlund, Head of Scania Service Concepts. “The service can be precisely tailored to their business and when their operational needs are greatest.”
Scania Fleet Care with Uptime Guarantee is available for all bus bodies with Scania chassis. The Fleet Care service was first introduced in 2014 and is now actively employed around the world, for example by bus operators in Bulgaria, Chile, Norway and Spain.
