What is probably some of the world’s first electric mobile libraries will enter into traffic in Gothenburg, Sweden, next summer. Gothenburg City Library invests in modern, sustainable mobile libraries from Volvo.

Gothenburg City Library currently has two mobile libraries operating in and around the city, visiting about 70 mobile library stops and 110 preschools. Two new all-electric Volvo buses have now been purchased, scheduled to replace the existing mobile libraries in July 2020.

The new mobile libraries will appeal more clearly to children and families, with the focus on experiencing and reading. This will be clearly seen in the interior furnishings, which apart from bookshelves will accommodate meeting-places for children and adults alike. Finnish company Kiitikori OY has been given the task of furnishing the bus interiors.

The Volvo 7900 Electric buses will be delivered as a complete turnkey solution, with Volvo handling all maintenance of the vehicles and their battery packs at a fixed monthly cost.

Overnight parking, charging and maintenance will take place in the new Volvo Trucks centre in Mölndal. This concept allows Gothenburg City Library to have the vehicles in operation for far more hours than today’s buses.

“The order is the result of a cooperation between Kiitikori OY, Volvo Truck Center Mölndal and Volvo Buses. Gothenburg City Library has followed the example of an increasing number of our customers, purchasing a comprehensive solution where we take care of the bus and all the surrounding services,” says Jonas Pettersson, Sales Director South at Volvo Buses.

“We’re looking forward to once again having mobile libraries in summer 2020, allowing us to visit all children – including those who live or attend preschool in the Gothenburg inner-city green zone. We chose electric buses to ensure this possibility throughout the vehicles’ lifetime, which is no less than 12 years,” says Anette Eliasson, sector manager in the Gothenburg Municipality Cultural Department.

­The electric buses have a 250 kWh battery capacity, and are charged using a CCS cable. Volvo’s electric buses have about 80% lower energy consumption than a corresponding Euro 6 diesel bus.

Volvo electric buses have been sold to cities in Sweden including Gothenburg, Kungsbacka, Malmö and Uddevalla. Overseas sales of Volvo’s electric buses include cities in Denmark, Britain, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway and Poland.