Volvo B7RLE

Volvo B7RLE
Volvo 8900 of Arriva Nederland.
Overview
Manufacturer	Volvo
Production	2001 - present
Assembly	Borås,Sweden
Body and chassis
Doors	1-3
Floor type	Low entry
Powertrain
Engine	Volvo D7C/D7E
Capacity	31 to 50 seated
Power output	215hp, 250hp, 275hp, 290hp
Transmission	Voith DIWA 864.3E/D864.5 Volvo I-Shift ZF Ecomat 6HP552N/6HP554N ZF Ecolife 6AP1400B
Dimensions
Length	various from 10 to 12 m (32 ft 10 in to 39 ft 4 in)
Width	2.5 m (8 ft 2 in)
Height	3 m (9 ft 10 in)
Chronology
Predecessor	Volvo B10BLE Volvo B7L
Successor	Volvo B8RLE

TheVolvo B7RLEis alow-entrysingle-deck buschassis manufactured byVolvo.It was superseded by theVolvo B8RLEin 2013.

Specifications

The Volvo B7RLE is similar to its predecessor, theB10BLE.In essence the B7RLE is the front section of theB7Lchassis mated with the rear section of theB7Rchassis. Originally, the B7RLE featured the D7C 6-cylinder, 7.3-litre diesel engine with aturbochargerandintercooler,producing 250 or 275 bhp and meeting the Euro III incentive emission standard. This was replaced by the 7.1-litre Volvo D7E engine producing 290 bhp, to Euro III/Euro IV/Euro V incentive emission standards. Unlike the B7L, the B7RLE's engine is mounted at the center of the rear overhang as opposed to the nearside, resolving the issue of engine intrusion into the saloon. The Volvo B7RLE is also equipped with disc brakes and ABS.

Operators

The Volvo B7RLE was launched in mainland Europe and Australia in 2001, and then in the United Kingdom in 2003 to supplement the B7L, which was unsuccessful in both countries. The B7RLE appealed more to UK operators, with whom the B7L was unpopular and has sold well compared to its predecessor.

United Kingdom and Ireland

Major purchasers of the B7RLE includedArriva(134),Blazefield Group(88),Bus Éireann(73),East Yorkshire Motor Services(27),FirstGroup(820),Lothian Buses(90),National Express West Midlands(188),Ulsterbus(46),Wellglade Group(51) andWilts & Dorset(78).

Initially the B7RLE was only available in the UK withWright Eclipse Urbanbodywork. From 2004 it was built as alow-floorsingle-deckercoach,with a longer front overhang andWright Eclipse Commuterbody.From late 2006 the B7RLE in the UK was available withPlaxton Centrobodywork followed byAlexander Dennis Enviro300andOptare Esteembodywork in 2008.

• 
  B7RLE Eclipse
• 
  B7RLE ofArriva

Australia

In Australia, the B7RLE was purchased in large numbers byTransport for Brisbane(554),ComfortDelGro Australia(400),State Transit(123) andTransperth(767) withBustech,Custom BusandVolgrenbodywork.

• 
  Volgren Optimus B7RLE
• 
  Volgren CR228L B7RLE

China Mainland

The B7RLE is one of the very few foreign bus chassis models in Mainland China, assembled byShanghai Sunwin Bus,assigned Chinese assembly model numbers SWB6125, SWB6120V4LE, and SWB6120V6LE. Units operated in Shanghai are SWB6120V4LE, with fleet number prefix S2F/S2G (Shanghai Public Transport) & S2B (Pudong Bus) (Euro III); S2D, with fleet number prefix S2D (written off) and SWB6120V6LE, with fleet number prefix S2M (Shanghai Public Transport)(Euro IV w/ adblue). One SWB6120V6LE unit was sent to Nanjing Public Transport as a gift, but never entered service due to a series of reasons. The B7RLE was seen very commonly onShanghaistreets.

As of 2023, Shanghai Public Transport has retired its entire B7RLE fleet together with the B9Ls and B7Ls, making its transition to battery-powered electric and diesel hybrid buses.

The entire fleet of B7RLEs in China mainland are equipped with Volvo D7B260/D7E290EC01/D7E290EC06 Engines paired with ZF EcoMat 6HP554C transmission.

• 
  B7RLE in Shanghai, China

Hong Kong

In 2003, Huangbus (Lok Ma Chau -Huanggangshuttle bus service) purchased five B7RLEs withJit LuenJL-08 bodies and D7E-290 7142cc engines.Kowloon Motor Busordered 70 B7RLEs withMCV Evolutionbodies in 2009,which some of them had been converted to Training buses.

• 
  B7RLE Hong Kong

India

In India, B7RLEs were introduced into service inBangalorein 2006 by theBangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation.The B7RLEs are also operated byMetropolitan Transport CorporationandTamil Nadu State Transport CorporationinChennaiandPondicherry,Kerala State Road Transport CorporationinKochiandThiruvananthapuramand in 2014Kerala Urban Road Transport Corporationstarted using B7RLEs for their Town To Town services all overKeralastate.

They were later inducted into the fleets ofNavi Mumbai Municipal Transport,andBESTfor use inNavi MumbaiandMumbairespectively. Custom made B7RLE chassis are assembled at Volvo's factory outside Bangalore. The dual-doored versions are operated by the WBTC inKolkata.B7RLEs are also operated byAssam State Transport CorporationinAssamstate.

Israel

Metropoline purchased Volvo B7RLEs withMerkavimPioneer bodywork. Some bus companies own Volvo B7RLEs with USB sockets, WiFi and Real time and it is the first country to use 2009 buses with a new ZF EcoLife transmission

Malaysia

In 2006,Rapid Busordered 120 Deftech bodied B7RLE buses for operation on RapidKL services. This is the first Rapid Bus fleet to feature wheelchair accessible ramp, and only bus fleet to feature wheelchair accessible ramp at both front and rear doors (later front doors ramp were removed after refurbishment). Later in 2014, MRT Malaysia Corp ordered 150Gemilang Coachworksbodied B7RLE's for operation on MRT feeder bus.

• 
  Gemilang bodied Volvo B7RLE for MRT Feeder bus
• 
  Deftech bodied Volvo B7RLE for RapidKL

New Zealand

Ritchies Coachlinesoperate 20 bodied byDesignLine.Mana Coach Servicesoperate 22Kiwi Bus Buildersbodied examples with a third axle added.

Philippines

The Philippines has B7RLEs running inCebu City,operated by Metro Rapid Transport System Inc., the owner of MyBus. Starting July 2016, RRCG Transport launches "P2P (Point-to-Point) Premium Bus Service" forAlabang Town CentertoGreenbelt 1,serving 3 units for King Long XMQ6127G with Sunwin SWB6128 front and rear mask, built by thePhilippine-based Autodelta Coach Builders, Inc. This model is also used byCebu Pacificfor transporting passengers fromNAIATerminal 3 to their aircraft. The bus companyJoanna Jesh TransportandCEM Trans Services Incalso started to use the bus model for its FTI-Navotas and Alabang-Malanday route respectively starting in 2019.

• 
  Volvo B7RLE in the Philippines, body made by Autodelta for Joanna Jesh Transport Inc.

Singapore

Singapore has B7RLEs running inSentosafeaturing Liannex bodies, either in acity busconfiguration for its internal shuttles, or asopen-topdouble-decker buses.A Euro IV demonstrator featuring Soon Chow bodywork was offered toSBS Transit(initially meant for a one-year trial) in December 2007, registered as SBS8030L, and is underHougang Depotas a training bus currently.

• 
  B7RLE, Sentosa featuring Liannex bodies

Taiwan

In Taiwan, B7RLEs were first introduced onChiayi Bus Rapid Transit(Chiayi BRT) in 2007. All B7RLEs in Taiwan that were manufactured between 2007 and 2012 featuredTang Eng Iron Worksbodywork, whereas those manufactured after 2013 featured Daji bodywork.

• 
  B7RLE, Taiwan

External links

Media related toVolvo B7RLEat Wikimedia Commons

• Product description at Volvo website
• Volvo's first city buses in India operating. 2006-01-25Volvo Buses.Retrieved 2009-06-23