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VWCO begins electric bus development

Manufacturer announces tests with the first prototype to launch next year

By Décio Costa | 5/24/23 | Translated by Jorge Meditsch

Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus unveiled its first 100% electric bus prototype. The manufacturer from Resende, RJ, is taking advantage of the pioneering experience of developing and producing an electric truck in the country and begins the tests expecting to have the product ready for the market next year.

“The electric is our vision for the future, but the challenge is to make the product economically viable. It is no use to have the product if it is not viable for the customer. He would not buy it”, says Ricardo Alouche, VWCO’s Sales, Marketing and Post-sales vice president.

The electric bus presented was configurated to meet the standards of the city of São Paulo and has a body made by Caio. The manufacturer did not disclose technical information but said it would have a modular platform and receive parts and components from the supplier consortium established to launch the electric e-Delivery truck.

New Euro chassis range

The electric bus was presented at the launch of the Volksbus Euro 6 chassis lineup. Adapting to the new phase of vehicle emission control, the manufacturer updated the range with eight models, enabling up to 50 variants to meet diverse applications.
Besides a cargo capacity increase in all categories, the manufacturer vows to deliver an up to 5% fuel consumption reduction compared to the previous generation.

Among the new range highlights, the manufacturer developed a road chassis on a modular platform, the 18.320 SH, with a rear module common to diverse applications.

“The product reduces the complexity of installing the body either with high or low floor and simplifies the maintenance with common parts for mixed fleets: urban, road and chartering”, says Rodrigo Chaves, VWCO’s Engineering vice-president.

New eight-speed transmission

The brand’s Euro 6 chassis lineup also introduces the offer of a new eight-speed automatic transmission (standard in the 18.320 SH road version). Named PowerLine, the component was developed jointly with ZF and is brand exclusive. It is unprecedented in the country’s bus segment. According to Chaves, it is still imported, but ZF should produce it in Sorocaba, SP.

“The new gearbox increases the durability, executes smooth gear changes due to better use of working engine speed ranges and enables to standardize the fleet fuel consumption among the drivers”, assures the engineering vice president.

Beyond emissions post-treatment

Besides adequate the products to the environmental legislation, the manufacturer added features for more safety and profitability.
All the lineup gained a standard active safety package with traction and stability control, hill-start assistance and a dispositive that avoids vehicle movement if the doors aren’t closed. A new driver interface contributes to a more efficient drive in real-time with tips shown in the display and can generate reports.

Despite the prices from 15% to 20% higher, especially due to new emission treatment technologies, Ricardo Alouche believes the customer will perceive the added value.