Nova Bus, a subsidiary of Volvo Bus Corp., has received an order for 141 hybrid buses from TransLink TransLink, the Greater Vancouver Area transit authority in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Nova Bus is the largest manufacturer of city buses in Canada.
This hybrid is an electric/diesel combination featuring a planetary gearbox linking an electric drive with a smaller diesel engine than normally used in the bus model. The vehicle delivers significantly reducing fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, according to a company statement.
"This purchase is really two shades of green," says TransLink CEO Pat Jacobsen. "Thirty-two of the buses will add capacity to our system and give people a cleaner, greener alternative to driving. The remaining 109 will replace some of the oldest vehicles inTransLink's fleet and reduce all emissions, some by as much as 97% per bus."
Nova Bus has two plants in Canada at which the buses will be manufactured. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in mid-2009.
The Greater Vancouver Area transit authority had taken delivery of 126 diesel-powered Nova LFS buses in 2007.
