Connect Bus has made a significant investment in the electric bus market by placing an order for 42 Mellor Sigma 7 buses. These vehicles will be used for on-demand services on the Västraffik Flex line and will be operated by Connect Bus as part of their contract with Vastraffik, the agency responsible for public transportation in Sweden's Vastra Gotaland region. This order comes after the successful implementation of Sigma 7 buses already in service in Gothenburg.
The new all-electric buses will complement Connect Bus's existing fleet of Mellor Orion E minibuses, which were introduced in March 2020. The delivery of the new vehicles will commence in the second quarter of 2023 and will be handled by Mellor's Scandinavian distribution partner, BK Invest.
This latest order from Connect Bus solidifies Mellor's position in the Nordic market. The brand has already delivered the first of four Sigma 7 buses to Nobina, Sweden's largest public transport operator, for use in Gothenburg.
“The Mellor Orion E has been instrumental in delivering the Västraffik Flex line service for several years,” said Gustavo Marqueta, Group Business Development Director at Mellor. “The new, Sigma 7 buses are the next step for Västraffik Flex line services, combining the flexibility of a minibus with the features expected from big bus design and technology. Our Sigma 7 is the smallest in a new range of electric buses designed to meet today's passenger and operational needs and is the perfect fit for established DRT operations looking to switch to an all-electric service”.
Christian Plyhm, CCO of Connect Bus, commented: “We are very excited with this contract which supports our commitment to zero emissions public transport in Scandinavia. We are pleased to reinforce our partnership with Mellor, which has launched an innovative range of electric buses that suits our needs as a leading regional operator”.
