Milestones in our history

1928
The first bus is built on a truck chassis.

1934
The first specialised bus chassis is built.

1945
Volvo’s diesel engine is installed for the first time in a bus chassis.

1951
Mid-engine concept for the first time in the product range.

1955
Turbocharged engines introduced.

1965
Volvo Buses introduces B58, the first chassie that was sold in a large number of buses.

1968
Volvo Buses is created as an independent division within the Volvo Group.

1971
The Volvo B59 is presented, the first city bus with a low floor.

1977
Volvo Buses inaugurates the Borås factory and manufactures buses in the new factory in Curitiba, Brazil.

1979
Volvo Buses introduces B10M, the most sold bus in the world for city-buses, inter-city and coaches.

1981
Volvo Buses makes more than 4,000 buses for the first time in one year. Volvo takes over Säffle Karossfabrik AB.

1988
Volvo acquires Leyland Bus In Great Britain.

1991
Volvo Buses introduces rear-engine chassis, the Volvo B12 and Volvo B10B.

1994
Volvo Buses launches the Volvo B10L low-floor chassis. Bus production starts in China. Volvo Buses acquires bodybuilders in Aabenraa, Denmark, and Drögmöller, Germany.

1995
Volvo becomes part owner of Prévost Car, Canada. The Volvo B12 receives the Coach of the Year award. The ECB concept bus is presented.

1996
A new factory for the manufacture of city and intercity buses is inaugurated in Wroclaw, Poland.

1998
Volvo acquires Carrus OY Finland, the leading bodybuilding company in the Nordic region. Volvo acquires a share in Nova Bus, USA, the leading American maker of city buses. Volvo acquires MASA, the leading manufacturer of buses in Mexico.

2000
A joint venture operation is started in Shanghai. Volvo Buses delivers more than 11,000 buses for the first time in a single year.

2001
Volvo Buses presents the TX platform.

2004
Volvo Buses acquires the remaining 50% of Prévost Car Inc. containing the the Prévost and Nova brands.

2005
Volvo Buses receives the largest-ever order - 1 767 Volvo buses to Santiago, Chile. The buses will be used in a public transportation system BRT (Bus Rapid Transit system) that includes dedicated bus lanes.

2006
Volvo's first city buses in India , Bangalore, have started their operations.

2007
The Volvo 9700 awarded Coach of the Year in Europe.

2008
Volvo Buses new body plant in Bangalore, India, inaugurated.
Volvo launched the Bus Rapid Transit bus Volvo 7800 Artic in China.
Volvo launched the Bus Rapid Transit bus Volvo 7300 Bi-artic in Mexico.
Volvo launched the Volvo 7700 Hybrid bus and the Volvo B5L Hybrid double decker bus in Europe.

2009
Volvo buses introduced in the US and Canada. For the first time in more than 20 years, buses with the Volvo brand are being sold in North America.

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