Bus operator AVL orders hybrid plug-in buses for Luxembourg City

Bus operator AVL (Autobus de la ville de Luxembourg) has placed an order with Volvo for 5 electric hybrid buses for operation in Luxembourg City.

The order, part of Luxembourg’s investment in sustainable mobility, includes delivery of 5 Volvo 7900 Hybrids buses and electric bus chargers, which will be supplied by ABB by the end of this year and installed at the central station in Luxembourg.

Luxembourg’s first electric hybrid plug-in buses to enter service by the end of 2016

Luxembourg was one of the first cities in Europe to implement buses with hybrid technology. In 2011, the first Volvo hybrids were delivered; today 14 Volvo 7900 Hybrids operate in the city. Luxembourg City and AVL now take the next step in electrification of the public transport system with hybrid plug-in buses.

AVL buys the bus system as a turn-key solution. Volvo will be responsible for vehicle servicing including battery maintenance for a fixed monthly cost.

“The decision to operate the first electric hybrid plug-in buses by the end of 2016 in the City of Luxembourg perfectly aligns with our continuous efforts to create a sustainable city. The society will immediately benefit from this project through a cleaner environment, reduced noise levels and increased comfort during bus journeys. This ambitious pioneering project represents the starting point in our endeavour to a zero emission urban bus system for the City of Luxembourg in the near future”, says Sam Tanson, First Deputy Mayor of the City of Luxembourg, in charge of Finance and Mobility.

Zero emission urban bus system for the City of Luxembourg

“We are very pleased to see that the City of Luxembourg is now taking the next step in electrification with our electric hybrids. Electric bus systems are a cost-efficient solution for cities to reduce the problems of poor air quality and noise. Emission-free, silent buses also open up entirely new possibilities for urban planning”, says Håkan Agnevall, President Volvo Buses.

Around 160,000 people commute to and from Luxembourg City every day. The government wants to reduce the environmental impact and the volume of traffic. The goal is to cut overall carbon dioxide emissions by at least 20 per cent by 2020.