Public transport operator the TEC Group, which serves the Belgian cities of Charleroi and Namur, has ordered 90 Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid buses as well as 12 ABB charging stations. Delivery and installation will get underway this fall.

TEC brought 11 Volvo 7900s into service in Namur in January. Once the new buses take to the roads, 90% of Namur’s public transport will be electrified.

The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid is equipped with a small diesel engine, but is designed to be propelled by electricity for 70% of its route. Energy consumption is about 60% lower, and CO₂ emissions are 75-90% lower, compared to a legacy diesel bus.

“The hybrid technology is the best compromise between operational constraints and energy efficiency for urban buses today,” said Vincent Peremans, CEO of the TEC Group.

Volvo’s plug-in hybrid buses and ABB’s fast charging systems use a common interface known as OppCharge, which allows the charging stations to be used by e-buses from various manufacturers. OppCharge is now in use in over 12 countries.

“The common interface for fast charging of buses and trucks, OppCharge, is gaining ground,” said Volvo Buses President Håkan Agnevall. “The use by many suppliers of a common interface will facilitate the transition to electromobility in the world’s cities.”

Source: Volvo Buses