Scania Commercial Vehicles India unveiled its flagship Citywide bus, the first biofuel-powered commercial bus in the country, at the Auto Expo in Greater Noida.
The Swedish manufacturer also launched its premium, high-performance G310 haulage tractor for the Indian market.
The Citywide is India’s first biofuel-powered commercial bus and can run on fossil fuels (diesel) as well as renewable fuels (bio-ethanol, bio-diesel and bio-methane).
The company also announced to double its manufacturing capacity in the Karnataka facility to increase its market share.
"We now have a production capacity of 2,500 trucks and 1,000 buses and that is to be doubled in 2020. That is our long-term strategy for the Indian market," said Scania India Business Unit Managing Director Mikael Benje.
In the next five years, Scania will also expand its employee pool to 1,200 people at this facility. Till now, the company has invested Rs 300 crore.
Already well-established in many countries, the bus is compatible with all commercially available biofuels complying with Bharat Stage (BS) 4, Euro 5, and Euro 6. With the Citywide bus launch in India, Scania moves a step closer towards realising a sustainable transport system in India.
"We are delighted to announce the global launch of the most anticipated Scania Citywide bus. Scania Citywide buses can be run on biofuels and will offer a whole new level of travel comfort, aid great passenger flow and safety as passengers continue to seek a more luxurious and comfortable journey even for a small distance," said Benje.
The premium G310 truck is a haulage tractor and creates a new category for Scania. The G 310 is equipped with Scania OptiCruise, a fully automatic gear change system that improves the vehicle’s performance by selecting gears that are most appropriate.
BW Reporters
The author is Senior Correspondent with BW Businessworld
