Scania has signed two MoU agreements with Iranian investment company Shahr-e Atiyeh for the delivery of 1,350 public transport buses for Isfahan, 450km south of Tehran, and four other Iranian cities within the province of Isfahan.
There is an urgent need in Iran to expand and renew public bus systems, particularly with a view to reducing harmful automotive emissions, and the Scania buses will be equipped with engine technology that offer the lowest emissions levels in the country.
Henrik Henriksson, president and CEO of Scania, signed the deals in Tehran with Hamid Akbari Rad, member of the board of Scania’s Iranian partner Oghab Afshan, in the presence of Swedish PM Stefan Löfven and Swedish Minister for Trade, Ann Linde, the Governor of Isfahan and the MD of Shahr-e Atiyeh.
The first of these new buses will be in operation at the end of 2017.
Scania has a significant presence in Iran, and the country is one of OEM’s top 10 bus markets. Oghab Afshan has been Scania’s partner for buses in Iran since 2000 and also employs close to 1,100 people in its Scania operations, including 860 workers in a bus factory.
Scania’s president noted: “Together with our partners, we have a strong presence in Iran with comprehensive industrial operations and an extensive service network. We look forward to developing this market even further to provide the best services and sustainable transport solutions to our customers.”
Back in Sweden, Scania is also currently testing a wireless charging system for electric buses, as part of a growing trend towards the total elimination of emissions.
Scania Trucks also has a strong presence in Iran through another distributor, Mammut Diesel.
