Volvo launches new sleeper buses, says segment seeing sales of 5,000 units per month

BENGALURU: Indian bus market, which was severely hit during the Covid period, has started showing signs of recovery as it is seeing sales of 5,000 units a month, said Vinod Aggarwal, MD and CEO of VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV). Volvo Buses India, a division of VECV, on Wednesday announced the launch of the Volvo 9,600 coach platform, which is available on the 15m and 13.5m configurations in sleeper and seater variants. The bus will be priced between Rs 1.3 crore and Rs 2 crore, depending on the level of customisation.

With the surge in fuel and airfare prices, the bus industry expects more people will prefer luxury bus rides. Aggarwal said the size of the bus market during pre-Covid times was 70,000 units a year, and it declined massively to 11,000 units per annum in 2021.

“We are also expecting the luxury market to recover in the coming months. The size of the luxury market is around 1,000 units,” Aggarwal said. He added that the goal of the bus division at VECV is to shape the future of the Indian bus industry. The company has been investing Rs 400-500 crore every year.

The coaches on the Volvo 9600 platform will be manufactured at its Hosakote plant, near Bengaluru. Akash Passey, President, bus division, VECV said as the bus industry recovers from a very tough period, bus operators continue to count on us to deliver solutions that address the aspirations of inter-city passengers.

Volvo is also focusing on the 8-litre engine, which is more fuel efficient, and gradually over months, its 15m bus will shift towards the 8-litre engine from the present 11-litre.