Prasarana Malaysia Berhad Takes Delivery Of Euro 6 Volvo Double Deck Buses
Prasarana Malaysia Berhad has taken delivery of its first-ever purchase of Euro 6 double deck buses. Ordered in late 2017, the 90 units of the double deck buses were handed over by Volvo Buses recently. Dressed in Rapid KL livery, it will naturally be used by Rapid Bus Sdn Bhd for routes in Kuala Lumpur.
“On behalf of Volvo Buses, we are extremely excited to introduce the Euro 6 technology to Malaysia. The current vehicle emission regulation in Malaysia is Euro 3, but our partner Prasarana made a commitment to reduce emission level in Malaysia by purchasing the Volvo B8L Euro 6 double deck buses beyond the local regulation requirement,” said Mats Nilsson, Director of Volvo Buses Region APAC Central.
The Volvo B8L bus chassis is manufactured in Boras, Sweden, and has already been widely in use in major urban environments such as Hong Kong and UK. It is powered by the proven D8K engine that produces 350 hp, and has the advantage of all-new axles and suspension that provide outstanding ride quality. Additionally, a tighter turning radius and lower overall weight help to improve driveability and vehicle performance. It also has auxiliary functions which are electrically powered to aid fuel saving.
The Euro 6 standard for vehicle emissions were set to further reduce exhaust pollutants. In particular, Euro 6 compliant heavy-duty vehicles need to reduce particulate matter emissions i.e. microscopic solid or liquid matter suspended in the atmosphere, by 0.02 g/kWh to 0.01 g/kWh. It also has to significantly reduce the nitrogen oxide (NOx) level released into the air from 2.0 g/kWh to 0.4 g/kWh.
“Environmental Care is one of the Volvo Group’s core values. We believe in clean, silent and efficient transport solutions that offer our customers entirely new possibilities for modern city development and sustainable living,” shared Karen Tan, Country Manager, Volvo Buses Malaysia.
According to President & Group Chief Executive Officer of Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, Encik Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah, “The 12-metre Volvo B8L double-decker buses offer a great solution to our operational challenges. With more seating and standing room, including a wheelchair facility, each bus could hold up to 110 passengers at one time.”
“Now that we are in Phase 4 of the National Recovery plan, Rapid Bus expects an increase of 10% to 20% from our existing load factor during the peak-hour, as well increase capacity per trip. More passengers can board the bus at one time, thus reducing the waiting time for our passengers,” he added.
These buses purchased by Prasarana are assembled locally by Pioneer Coachbuilders Sdn Bhd. The 12-metre long bus is 4.2 metres tall and built with a 22-ton capacity. The bodywork is done by Gemilang Coachwork Sdn Bhd, and has a carrying capacity of up to 110 passengers. The buses are fitted with wheelchair ramps as well as mother-child seats.
The new B8L also continues Volvo’s focus on safety. Standard features include Electronic Stability Control (ESP), Electronic Braking Systems (EBS) and acceleration limiter. Furthermore, the chassis is fitted with Volvo’s proven telematics system, which allows operators to access the vehicle data in real time.
The use of Euro 6 standard commercial vehicles is a good start by the public transport sector to aid the reduction of pollution especially in urban areas. But to gain more widespread availability and the use of more efficient engines, we will have to look at updating our fundamental recognition of vehicle type, such as implementing taxation based on emissions rather than engine size.
