VOLVO’S NEW ELECTRIC HYBRID BUS RUNS ON THE INNOVATION ROUTE 109 IN HAMBURG
The new Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid has commenced scheduled operation in Hamburg. The starting shot for the innovative bus system coincided with the opening of the Innovation Route 109. The route will be used by the public transport company in Hamburg, the Hamburger Hochbahn AG (HOCHBAHN), to run comparative tests of innovative drive technologies under the strict everyday conditions of scheduled services. The city of Hamburg has established the target: from 2020, only emission-free buses should be acquired by the city.
Alongside three Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid buses, Volvo’s diesel hybrid buses in both 18 m articulated and 12 m versions will also be tested on the route, as well as battery fuel cell buses and fuel cell buses from other manufacturers.
The Innovation Route 109 of Hochbahn will be almost exclusively served by buses with innovative drive technologies. Different types and drive modes for the sustainable buses of the future are to be tested in parallel and under identical conditions. Conventional diesel buses will also be used on the route to serve as reference vehicles in the scientific comparison of the innovative drive concepts.
The Innovation Route 109 runs from the new Electric Bus Terminal near Hamburg Central Station to the final stop at the underground station in Alsterdorf. With a length of about ten kilometers, it’s highly suitable for the Volvo Electric hybrid buses, with their groundbreaking plug-in technology that permits full electric operation over at least seven kilometers. Charging takes place at the two bus terminals.
With the newest vehicles, the Hochbahn is expanding its rolling development lab for modern drive technology to a total of about 65 vehicles.
With its world-first electric hybrid bus incorporating Euro 6 equipment, electric motor and plug-in technology, Volvo is further developing its electro mobile pioneering role. Charging takes place at the end stop using a pantograph that is integrated with the charging station. When the bus has reached its parking position under the charging mast, the pantograph is lowered to both of the charging bars on the roof of the bus when the driver presses a button. The complete charging process takes only six minutes.
The lithium ion iron phosphate charger provides the electric motor (150 kW) with power. The bus travels at least seven kilometers purely on electricity, before the Euro 6 diesel aggregate switches on. On the stretches driven only on electricity, the bus is completely emission-free and extremely low-noise: Near to a Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid, the noise level can be compared to normal conversation level.
