Volvo targets school market with high-capacity B8R Evotor option
Volvo has announced high-capacity variants of its B8R coach with MCV Evotor body that will see the model gain a 12.8m variant that can carry up to 72 passengers in a 3+2 layout.
Alongside it will sit a 59-seat option at 2+2, with dealership Volvo Buses UK and Ireland noting that the new variant of the B8R Evotor combination will permit adjustment of capacity across its lifetime to give maximum versatility and residual value.
Its introduction will bring Volvo back into the high-capacity coach market on two axles. Deliveries of the new model are due to commence from autumn 2026. The newcomer complements the existing 12.6m Evotor and is the same height as that coach.
Volvo adds how the 12.8m variant will have a reconfigured entrance and luggage area that are redesigned to enable a flat floor. That has seen the seating area lowered slightly to the same height as the aisle. To achieve the higher seating capacity, the new model will come with a manual rear emergency exit with integrated steps.
Each seat will have a footrest and USB-A and USB-C charging points will be at each row. The dealership adds that all of the new model will be PSVAR compliant including a passenger lift, Hanover white LED destination displays and quick-release seats where applicable.
The driveline consists of the 7.7-litre D8K engine coupled to a ZF EcoLife six-speed automatic gearbox, a combination that Volvo says will deliver good driveability and strong fuel economy.
Speaking about the development, Volvo Buses UK and Ireland Managing Director Domenico Bondi says: “We have worked closely with our partner MCV to develop a solution for school transport operators.
“These customers face unique challenges, balancing safety, capacity and cost-efficiency while ferrying the next generation to and from the classroom and for educational outings.
“This new model addresses those demands with increased seating capacity, allowing students to travel together in a single vehicle. Combined with the reliability of the Volvo chassis and the D8K engine, operators and teachers can be confident that passengers will get to where they need to go comfortably and safely.”
Whitbread Wanderbus welcomes a new EVM Cityline minibus
Whitbread Wanderbus of Bedfordshire has welcomed a new Mercedes-Benz Sprinter with an EVM Cityline low-entry conversion.
It is a 16-seater that can carry a further six standees. Each position is finished in synthetic leather with additional padding, while USB charging points are fitted at each row.
The passenger entry is 120cm wide and has a dual-leaf Masats door. A lightweight ramp from the same supplier is included to give access for wheelchair users, with full-length tracking in the low-floor area and a luggage drop cage as part of the ticket machine mounting unit.
Panoramic double-glazed side windows are fitted while the OEM windscreen and rear barn doors are retained. An Auto Clima 12kW saloon air-conditioning unit is mounted on the roof, while convector heaters are in both parts of the passenger area.
A multimedia entertainment system with a seven-inch screen is installed along with saloon speakers and a reversing camera. Wood-effect flooring and Hanover destination displays are also part of the package.
On the exterior are colour-coded side skirts and mouldings, bumpers and grille in white to match the rest of the vehicle.
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Nottingham City Transport orders 13 next-gen Yutong U11DD
Nottingham City Transport (NCT) is the first operator to be named as a customer for the updated Yutong U11DD battery-electric double-decker after it placed an order with Pelican Bus and Coach for 13 of the type.
They will enter service in late-2026 and be full-height examples. The decision to go with the U11DD follows completion of rollout by NCT of 62 E10 and E12 battery-electric single-deckers from Yutong, which the municipal operator says have proved “world class.”
The updated U11DD made its global debut at Busworld Brussels in October and promises various improvements over the existing U11DD, including a flat floor in both saloons via a repackaging exercise.
To foster adoption of battery-electric double-deckers with Nottingham City Transport, the East Midlands Combined County Authority will support an eventual 19 of that vehicle type with £4.5 million of funding.
NCT says that its decision on the opening zero-emission double-deck order followed “rigorous assessment” of multiple types and the trial of several of those. Arrival of the 13 Yutong U11DD models in Nottingham will represent the start of electrification of its double-deck fleet.
Managing Director David Astill notes how rollout of the 62 single-decks “marks a major milestone for NCT as we transition to a zero-emission fleet.” Those buses have already covered 3.6 million km and the operator has calculated that they have regenerated over 2.1 million kWh of energy during operation.
Mr Astill has thanked Pelican, Yutong and infrastructure and charging specialist Zenobē, which delivered the necessary equipment at NCT’s Trent Bridge depot. The U11DD fleet will work from Parliament Street depot, where infrastructure work is underway.
“Our attention will now turn to the double-deck fleet, and I am pleased to confirm that we have placed an initial order for 13 electric double-decks which will be delivered in the autumn of next year.”
Adds Head of Yutong UK Ian Downie: “The performance of out single-decks has demonstrated that our vehicles are at the vanguard of reliable and efficient zero-emission buses, with fantastic feedback from passengers and drivers.
“It is a testament to the service we provide that NCT has honoured Pelican with an additional 13 electric double-decks. The NCT team has been instrumental in designing the revised UK double-decker and we are really looking forward to NCT being the first operator of the full-height vehicle in the UK.”