QUERÉTARO, QRO.- Scania and Irizar began the delivery of a fleet of 100 buses to Grupo Estrella Blanca , units that have Scania’s Nuväk K450 4×2 chassis and Irizar’s i8 Efficient body and that will operate on the Futura line in various routes throughout Mexico.
“We are very proud to be able to offer our users a fleet of state-of-the-art vehicles that not only improve transportation efficiency, but also contribute to the general well-being of our community,” commented Gerardo Mora, general director of Grupo Estrella Blanca.
Among the innovations of the buses is the replacement of rearview mirrors with cameras with the aim of increasing the range of vision of the operators in any weather condition, which helps to strengthen road safety. In addition, thanks to Scania’s Nuväk chassis, fuel savings of between 10 and 14% are obtained and the ADAS 2.0 safety system guarantees the protection of operators, passengers and the environment.
For its part, the Irizar i8 Efficient body presents a 25% improvement in the aerodynamic coefficient through modifications to its front, rear and roof design, as well as the curvature of the windshield, reducing air resistance. With a weight reduction of 550 kilograms, the body promotes a reduction in fuel consumption and emissions of more than 8 percent.
Alejandro Mondragón, CEO and president of Scania México, commented in an interview with T21 that the Nuväk chassis has represented a positive advance for the company, since last year Scania México’s bus division was the one with the most sales worldwide .
“Mexico is the largest market for buses, last year we sold 601 units, this year we are going to end up with approximately 750. In turn, in cargo we closed 2023 with 2,519 and this year we hope to exceed this figure,” he explained.
Among Scania’s plans for 2024 is the opening of more branches. “Sales are going very well, that’s why we require more branches, workshops and technicians. Meeting demand is Scania Mexico’s priority, which is why we have allocated 100 million dollars in remodeling, relocation and opening new branches. This year we are going to finish the relocation of Monterrey, we want to go from six thousand square meters (m2) to 20 thousand m2. We are also going to relocate León to go from 1,700 m2 to nearly six thousand m2. Querétaro will also be another of the points that we will relocate,” Mondragón explained.
In addition, he said that they will open new branches in Villahermosa, Manzanillo and Tepotzotlán where they will have 14 thousand m2. “We need to grow, today we have 15 locations, but at least we need to double the network in a period of three years,” Mondragón added.
With the investments and its capacity, Scania plans to go from 10% market share to 15% in the coming years. “To achieve this we need to open branches, hire managers, technicians, administrative staff, etc.,” stated the CEO and president of Scania Mexico.
