Volvo Buses India will deliver 20 units of Volvo 9600 sleeper coaches to Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC). This will make it the first STU to add these luxurious buses to its fleet. Of 20, 16 of these coaches will operate from Bangalore meanwhile the remaining four will cater to Mangalore. These coaches are an addition to 357 Volvo buses already delivered under KSRTC’s existing fleet. This makes it the largest Volvo Coach operator in India.
Variants And Seating Capacities
Launched in India in Sep 2022, the much coveted Volvo 9600 is part of the award-winning European design. The distinctive tall boy design along with fine aesthetics with generous space makes 9600 the perfect choice. The 15m seater coach can seat a total of 55 passengers. Meanwhile, the sleeper coach has a capacity of 40 berths. The seater and sleeper applications get 15.1 cubic metres and 9.2 cubic metres of luggage space respectively. Volvo mentioned that the 13.5m coach can seat up to 47 passengers, while the sleeper variant can host 36 berths. Meanwhile, the corresponding luggage space for the seater and sleeper variants are 13.6 cubic metres and 8.1 cubic metres respectively.
Volvo’s Strong Relationship With Volvo
Volvo Buses has had a long-standing relationship with KSRTC. This relationship has resulted in the delivery of over 350 buses serving all parts of Karnataka. With these Volvo buses, KSRTC aims at providing world-class bus transport to the people of Karnataka. These 20 Volvo 9600 buses are the next step in luxurious bus travel with a high focus on passenger comfort and safety.
Volvo 9600 Key Highlights
The Volvo D8K (8-litre) engine does the duty in the 9600. This tried-and-true, strong, and fuel-efficient engine makes 350 HP at 2200 RPM and 1350 Nm at 1200–1600 RPM. Volvo has specially developed this drivetrain to reduce TCO and increase uptime. The bus also gets safety features like an electronic braking system (EBS), Hill-start assistance, and Electronic Stability Program (ESP). The 9600 platform is very user-friendly for drivers, as claimed by Volvo. The bus also gets a brand-new curved dashboard with controls that are easily accessible and ergonomically constructed. Moreover, air-suspended chairs with adjustable headrests guarantee a driver-free experience for the passengers.
Also Read: Volvo plans to go full EV in India by 2025?
