Volvo Buses said it has received its first order in Brazil for electric articulated and double-articulated buses, securing a deal to supply 21 vehicles to Goiânia, the capital of Goiás state.
The order includes 16 articulated and five double-articulated buses, which will operate on the city’s east-west Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line. The new vehicles are based on Volvo’s BZRT electric chassis, developed specifically for BRT systems.
“It is with great satisfaction that we announce this important sale for one of the main BRT-systems in Brazil. The city of Goiânia takes a major step toward decarbonizing public transport by adopting high-tech electric buses with exceptional safety features,” said André Marques, President of Volvo Buses Latin America.
The buses will be produced at Volvo’s industrial complex in Curitiba, where the company recently began building electric chassis for extra-long buses. Each double-articulated unit can carry up to 250 passengers, while articulated models hold 180. Both come equipped with double doors and air conditioning.
According to Volvo, the project is part of an agreement with GreenMob Capital, an investment company of the HP Group that specializes in urban mobility. “We are bringing the most advanced vehicle technology available globally to Goiânia—combining efficiency, comfort, and safety,” said Gustavo Bacellar de Faria, CEO of GreenMob Capital. “The arrival of the electric Volvo BZRTs strengthens our commitment to driving the development of innovative and sustainable urban mobility solutions.”
The Goiânia BRT network spans 50 kilometers across east-west and north-south corridors, with 50 stations and links to surrounding cities. The system currently carries about 12 million passengers per month, a figure Volvo expects will rise to 17 million.
The BZRT chassis is powered by two 200 kW motors paired with up to eight batteries offering 720 kWh of capacity. Charging takes between two and four hours, depending on station type and power, the company said.
