Volkswagen Trucks and Buses (VWCB) has confirmed that it will begin production of its electric bus called e-Volksbus in the second half of 2024. This model is being developed at VWCB's global engineering center in Resende, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and will take advantage of the experience accumulated by the company in the last five years with the first electric truck manufactured 100% in Brazil, the e-Delivery.
The confirmation of the project was made at the forum “RJ Electromobility – New Energy Matrix and the Future of Road Transportation by Buses in the State of Rio de Janeiro”, organized by the Department of Road Transportation of the State of Rio de Janeiro and the Secretary of State for Transportation and Urban Mobility of Brazil.
“We take another step towards electromobility in urban transport. After accumulating enough mileage in tests with VWCB's electric chassis and also with the first electric truck developed in the country, we will start production in the second half of 2024. This will be an important stage for the adaptation of the product to the production line ”said Rodrigo Chaves, vice president of Engineering at Volkswagen Trucks and Buses.
Testing of the e-Volksbus began in May 2022, aligned with the trend towards electrification in passenger transport, currently led by the Chinese industry. The model presented at the event has an approximate weight of 22 tons and a range of up to 250 kilometers.
The technology used in this electric bus is cutting-edge, with a regenerative braking system that maximizes battery autonomy and reduces brake wear, in addition to the Eco-Drive Mode system that optimizes energy use. It has flood protection, very common in Brazil, to protect the durability and reliability of the vehicle and its battery pack. It will also be equipped with a “kneeling” system for better passenger accessibility and integral air suspension.
Although it is still in the prototype phase, the e-Volksbus uses a modular architecture solution for the construction of electric vehicles, being able to produce anything from a nine-meter minibus to a 23-meter articulated double bus. The configuration was designed by the brand's engineering center and allows the vehicle to be divided into three main modules: front module, central module and rear module, to adapt it to different types of products.
It should be noted that the development and production of electric buses and trucks in Brazil is the product of a large investment of 505 million dollars announced by Volkswagen for the period 2021-2025.