Scania delivers first ethanol-powered bus in India

Swedish commercial vehicle manufacturer, Scania, has handed over the keys of the first ever ethanol-fueled city bus for India to Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) as part of their ongoing test and trial strategy. The key hand over was followed by the flag-off of the bus by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, in the presence of NMC officials.

Expressing his thoughts over the handover, Anders Grundstromer, Managing Director and Senior Vice-President, Scania India, said, “We are delighted and proud to be able to venture in this initiative along with NMC. This represents an important step towards our common goal, the realisation of energy efficient and sustainable public transportation solutions in India.”

“We have expertise and experience with ethanol run buses for more than 20 years. We view ethanol as the future for public transport. The use of ethanol as a vehicle fuel is the best example of what can be done here and now in sustainable development work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution,” he further added.

Ethanol accounts for around 90 per cent of renewable vehicle fuels available in the world today and can be sourced locally. Scania claims that compared to a conventional diesel engine, ethanol-powered vehicles can reduce fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 90 per cent.

In recent years, the company has delivered ethanol buses for commercial services in Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Norway and other countries.