Volvo recently launched India’s first multi-axle coach, the Volvo 9400 B9R, at the Volvo Bus Technologies plant on the outskirts of Bangalore. The first six buses where delivered to the customers on the occasion. The launch of the multi-axle bus is a big step forward in the Indian bus segment, which is now on par with the global industry in terms of technology.
With the launch of this model, Volvo now has three standard offerings – 4x2 inter-city bus, city bus and 6x2 inter-city bus – for the Indian market. The new Volvo multi-axle bus is 13.7 meters length, which is close to 1.7 meters longer than the existing Volvo B7R inter-city bus. The additional length means additional capacity. A normal B7R has the capacity to carry 45 passenger whereas the multi-axle coach can carry upto 53 passengers. The new configuration comes at a slightly higher price but Volvo believes that the new B9R is cheaper when it comes to per seat cost. The new Volvo B9R is powered by a 9-litre Euro III common rail engine. The 340 hp engine is the most powerful on Indian buses and features the Volvo Engine management system (EMS2) which provide for precise and efficient engine control. The engine control module takes in data from several sensors on the engine and the vehicle, compares current readings with stored parameters and adjusts fuel quantity and injection timing accordingly. It is integrated with the bus electronic system and permits communication with the driver via information display on the dashboard. This helps in efficient engine management and scope for diagnosis and fault tracing. The bus features an electronically steered braking system.
The B9R is fitted with 6 speed ZF gearbox with inbuilt Voith hydrodynamic retarders. It has a turning radius of 10.5 meters compared to the B7R which is 10.25 meters, which is very good considering the fact that the new bus is nearly 1.7 meters longer than the B7R. Today Volvo has over 2,000 buses, both coaches and intercity buses, running on Indian roads. It has already received orders for 20 multi-axle buses, of which 6 were recently delivered to key customers including Kesineni Travels, Sharma Travels and Neeta Travels. For the year ending December 2008, Volvo expects to register a 120 percent jump in sales to 450 units, compared with 2007, while for 2009 it is expecting a growth of 25 per cent. It plans to increase its production capacity to 1,000 buses by 2010.
source:www.busworld.org/news/article/440