Argentina: Mendoza’s transit agency plans to buy 30 Scania CNG buses

Argentina: Mendoza’s transit agency plans to buy 30 Scania CNG buses

Sociedad de Transporte de Mendoza (STM), a sole proprietorship with state participation that manages the urban passenger network of the City of Mendoza and Greater Mendoza, tested a Scania natural gas bus of the Green Efficiency line for two months under real operating conditions. Based on the results obtained in terms of costs and environment, the company evaluates adding 30 buses to its fleet during 2021 and, in the medium term, replacing 100% of its diesel fleet with CNG buses.

“We are very satisfied with the performance of the Scania unit: it is very versatile and friendly for drivers, they are world-class buses, which clearly adapt to what we want,” said the president of the STM Board Daniel Vilches.

The bus traveled 8,000 kilometers during the tests and carried 5,000 passengers. Once the unit was commissioned, through the collaboration between STM, Scania and the AVC dealer, the bus served 16 hours a day on two routes, of 230 and 285 kilometers, respectively. According to the figures recorded in that period, the annual fuel savings of each bus, compared to diesel vehicles, will be around USD15,000.

In parallel, the STM statute urges the company to reduce its polluting emissions: “We have measured pollution levels weekly and the contribution was substantial, since the reduction was between 50% and 60% in sulfur, CO2 and microparticles,” Vilches explained. “The energy matrix of the region is changing. That makes us think that CNG can be an alternative for public passenger transport in the province of Mendoza and in Argentina.”

The passenger transport company owns 88 vehicles. Of these, nine are two-car electric trams, 18 are electric buses and the remaining 61 are diesel-fueled buses. According to the president of STM, the high maintenance and replacement values ​​of electric vehicles and the range capacity make their use difficult.

Source: Scania Argentina

https://www.ngvjournal.com/s1-news/c3-vehicles/argentina-mendozas-public-transport-plans-to-acquire-30-cng-vehicles/

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