VOLÁNBUSZ put into operation 47 articulated Credobuses

VOLÁNBUSZ's brand new Credobus fleet of 47 units has been put into operation in the past weeks. Thanks to the purchase, the production of articulated buses in Hungary was restarted and the vehicle fleet was renewed in three counties.

Credobus and VOLÁNBUSZ Zrt signed the sales contract for the delivery of 47 suburban articulated buses at the end of December 2022. The new buses were handed over by the end of spring and now are operating in the country's 3 western, central and eastern counties. After the purchase of vehicles, the average age of the articulated fleet in the eastern Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county decreased to 3.2 years.

At the handover ceremony, Dr. István KRANKOVICS, the owner of the manufacturing company group emphasized "the Credobus Econell 18 Next is a top-class Hungarian product, with a weight of 3 tons less, it is the lightest articulated bus in the world. The new 47-piece fleet was produced in the company group's factories in Mosonmagyaróvár and Győr, restarting the Hungarian articulated bus production that had been suspended for years. Thanks to the National Bus Production Action Program, the Kravtex-Kühne Group was able to increase its production capacity and create one of the largest bus manufacturing bases in the East-Central European region. More than 2,700 Credobuses will be operating in the fleet of 5,950 buses of VOLÁNBUSZ Zrt. in the end of this year. In addition to the competitive purchase price, the bus fleet with an ultra-light construction reduces the bus company's energy costs by more than EUR 12 million annually."

European champion cost level

Credobus Econell 18 Next is the world's lightest articulated bus in the 18-meter category. Its own weight is at least 3 tons lower than the market average - only about 14 tons instead of the usual 17-18. Preliminary measurements predict fuel savings of around 20 % compared to actual data for the same vehicles. This results in direct savings of at least EUR 5,000 - 6,500 per bus per year, as well as a 12-ton reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

The purchase price of the buses fell significantly short of the budget expected by VOLÁNBUSZ Zrt. The Credobus Econell 18 Next is by far the most affordable articulated bus on the European market.

Drivers are starting to love it

Based on the interviews conducted after the first few thousand kilometers, the new buses exceeded the drivers' expectations. Among other things, the driving dynamics and perfect drivetrain synchronization (ZF EcoLife 2), the three-zone climate control with the new E-Control interface, the storage solutions in the completely new driving environment and the Full LED lighting with the rain and light sensor received recognition. Pleasant surprise was reported by several drivers who switched from few years old, modern articulated or three-axle solo vehicles to Econell 18 Next - emphasizing that they would not change the new Credobus to another type.

70 – 75 % Hungarian value ratio relative to the purchase price

The self-supporting frame structures of the buses and almost all metal parts are manufactured by the Group. Certain axles, passenger doors, glazing, artificial floors, as well as external and internal plastic components, rubber products, pneumatic components, ball joints, etc. can also be considered as Hungarian products. The main components come from leading European manufacturers such as FPT, ZF, Knorr-Bremse, Eberspächer and Continental.

Creation of the Econell Next family is the most significant domestic bus development project of the past decade, in which the restart of the Hungarian articulated bus production is only the first milestone. As a result of continued developments, several zero-emission Credobus models will be introduced in the coming years.

Since 2016 Credobus built one of the largest, 20,000 square meter, modern bus production base in the East-Central European region in Mosonmagyaróvár and Győr, multiplying its production capacity.