Volvo and Al-Futtaim Auto and Machinery Company (FAMCO), part of Al-Futtaim Automotive, launched the Volvo Smart Bus in the UAE last month, setting a new precedent in the country’s public transportation sector.
The Volvo Smart Bus was launched at the UITP MENA Transport Congress & Exhibition in Dubai that took place towards the beginning of March, with FAMCO, one of the region’s leading distributors of heavy vehicles, commercial vehicles and machinery, unveiling the new bus from its principal to the region.
Organised by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in collaboration with the International Association of Public Transport, the theme at this year’s event was ‘Sustainable Mobility and Wellbeing’, which underlined the UAE’s extended Year of Sustainability and continued commitment to climate change action on the heels of a historic COP28 that concluded with a momentous UAE Consensus on transitioning towards sustainable alternatives. The Al-Futtaim Group was the Strategic E-Mobility Partner of COP28, and provided electric buses during the event.
At the UITP MENA Transport Congress & Exhibition 2024, the newly unveiled Volvo Smart Bus took centre-stage with its cutting-edge technology and customisations specifically designed to meet the unique requirements of the UAE and the region. FAMCO demonstrated the vehicle’s exceptional performance, underpinned by over a decade of proven reliability of Volvo chassis and propulsion systems in the UAE’s challenging environment.
FAMCO committed to shaping future transportation
Yousuf AlRaeesi, Director of Government Relations & HSSE, Al-Futtaim Automotive, said: “As automotive and transportation market leaders, Al-Futtaim Automotive and FAMCO remain fully committed to advancing and shaping the future of transportation within the UAE. Our strategic sponsorship and collaboration with the MENA Transport Congress & Exhibition 2024 is a clear reflection of that commitment. We look forward to actively contributing to the pivotal discussions and initiatives under focus within this year’s theme of ‘Sustainable Mobility and Wellbeing’.
“FAMCO has a long history of successful mobility partnerships with RTA and various government entities – a partnership solidified by our participation this year. At the event, we showcased our new Volvo Bus, fully designed and manufactured to meet the UAE’s commercial transportation needs and a continuing illustration of FAMCO’s mission to modernise transportation for a connected, safer and a more sustainable future.”
By unveiling the Volvo Smart Bus at the UITP MENA Transport Congress and Exhibition 2024, FAMCO underscored its leadership in providing forward-thinking solutions that address the evolving needs of Dubai’s transportation ecosystem.
The Volvo Smart Bus was the outcome of an agreement between Volvo, FAMCO and the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) last year at the UITP conference in Barcelona for a future bus generation. FAMCO said it is pleased to introduce this completely new line of city buses, which have been built with the capacity to be powered by both electric and diesel powertrains. The new bus was being displayed for the first time in the exhibitions and straight after that it was slated to start the on-road demo trial operations with the RTA.
Cleanest ICE engine in the world
With a view towards an environmentally-friendly public transport solution, the Volvo Smart Bus model displayed at the UITP Congress is powered by a diesel engine that uses the latest diesel technology, which makes it the cleanest internal combustion engine (ICE) of its kind offered all around the world.
An electric version of the powertrain for the Volvo Smart Bus is also in the works and will follow. A demo unit of that is also planned to be shipped to the UAE, PMV Middle East has learnt. When that happens FAMCO will be among first companies – the pioneers – with sustainable demo units dedicated to RTA operations. Moreover, the Volvo-FAMCO combinations is of course no stranger to supplying buses for public transport fleets in the UAE. At present Volvo buses supplied by FAMCO number more than 500 operating in the RTA’s fleet in Dubai.
It is a fact that Dubai and the RTA are proactive about sustainability, as has been proven by several green initiatives over the last few years, notably the introduction of greener vehicles to fleets such as the Dubai Taxi, where almost all cars now are hybrid and some EV taxis have also been introduced recently in the form of the new Tesla Model 3 units.
This proactive drive towards sustainable public transport is sure to extend to the bus fleets of both Dubai and other cities in the region sooner than later. And when that happens, FAMCO is in a great position to meet the requirements for zero-emission buses, having already supplied the first Volvo electric bus in the region in 2021.
FAMCO brought the first Volvo electric bus to the region and used it for the Expo City’s transport requirements when the Expo 2020 was happening. The organisers’ aim of going as green as possible for the mega event was helped by having the Volvo electric buses on the roads. It may have been only for the duration of the Expo 2022 event, but having put the Volvo electric buses on Dubai’s roads and having helped to run them has given FAMCO valuable experience and knowledge in the matter that it can fall back on for future roll-outs of EV buses.
Three pillars of the smart bus
The Volvo Smart Bus unveiled at the UITP Congress in Dubai has three main big pillars that this new bus rests on. The first is the body. The bus has a brand new body, made of aluminium. This makes it a lot lighter than comparable models. The light weight also means reduced fuel consumption, making this bus a lot more fuel efficient than the competition, said FAMCO. And since aluminium is more corrosion resistant than steel, it adds to the reliability and reduced maintenance that this bus enjoys. On top of that, it is made of almost 72% recyclable material, making it a very green product.
The body is a whole new design specifically developed for the UAE and the region, FAMCO has revealed, keeping the conditions in the GCC countries in mind. Volvo designed a completely new body and gave it subtle tweaks in its shape to suit this territory. There are certain curves, lines and features on this bus that are customised and made specifically for the UAE and for the region.
A bus with a similar looking body cannot be seen anywhere else in the world, as this particular model has only been designed for here. And this conference is where we revealed it for the first time. This was made possible die to the association between FAMCO and Volvo, which goes back a very long way in the UAE. The two entities have together become part of the ecosystem of the UAE’s roads, transport, equipment and many other sectors.
To design and develop this bus, engineers delved into the shared body of knowledge that FAMCO and Volvo have together generated over the long years if their association. The team knows the conditions in this region and has been studying them for quite a while, so there is naturally a lot of data accumulated on the segment that is invaluable in the development of a bus such as this one.
The Volvo Smart Bus uses the well-known Volvo B8RLE chassis. The engine develops in excess of 350hp while that power is sent to the wheels through a ZF transmission. Though meant for the UAE and the region, this bus was developed globally and incorporates components that come from various parts of Volvo’s global footprint. For example, the chassis and engine are made in Sweden, the body is designed and developed in Switzerland and then assembled in Malaysia. This is also a Euro 6 model, so it’s very clean when it comes to emissions standards.
Among the several modifications, adaptations and features incorporated keeping the UAE and the region in mind, the air-conditioning is vital. The cooling has been significantly improved to deal with the hot summer on the Arabian Peninsula. The maximum cooling capacity of the roof-mounted AC is a huge 47 kilowatts.
There is a camera inside the bus that can provide accurate counts of all passengers occupying the bus with infrared sensors used for detection. The infrared system records all passengers entering and exiting the bus and the system is connected to a central control room for safety monitoring.
The Volvo Smart Bus is also equipped to provide passengers the ability to pay not only with the NOL Card or other smart cards, but also directly swipe their mobile phones on the electronic readers for e-payments. The seating can be configured in various ways according to requirement. The particular model that was displayed at the UITP Congress at DWTC had a seating capacity of 45 passengers and standing room for 35 more.
For the driver, there is a plethora of electronic aids that make driving easier. The external mirrors on either side of the bus have been replaced by capable wide-angle cameras that provide real-time images on the screens inside for the driver to see what’s going on around the bus. This is a mirrorless cockpit for the driver with screens all around replacing the mirrors. This is especially helpful during night and low-light driving situations, when the screens provide much brighter and better visibility than the naked eye could obtain using only mirrors.
Smart safety features
There is also a fatigue sensor for the driver that detects things like tiredness and alertness levels, so that safety is always maintained on the roads. The competence and level of proper driving from the driver can be monitored at all times. There are a total of eight cameras installed on the bus and storage for more than four terra bytes of recorded information that can be stored for 31 days. FAMCO explained.
When it comes to the powertrain, this bus has been designed keeping versatility in mind. It can be run by both internal combustion engines as well as electric motors. With a 350hp Volvo clean diesel engine powering the initial model unveiled in Dubai and for demo with the RTA, the new Volvo Smart Bus looks to be the feature-packed, future-ready and sustainable bus that the city’s – and perhaps the region’s – public transport will soon depend on.