Scania sells another 100 gas-powered buses in Australia

12/20/2002 4:00 AM EST

Scania has sold another 100 gas-powered city buses to Brisbane
in Australia.
"This is a follow-up to a previous order for 120 gas buses,
and it confirms that we have a highly competitive product in
this sector," says Kaj Färm, MD of Scania Australia. The
customer is Brisbane City Council and the gas-powered buses
are part of the city's focus on improving the environment.

The buses will be delivered over the next two years. They are
part of Brisbane's strategy for improving the environment and
boosting public transport over a five-year period.

Scania buses have long held a strong position on the
Australian market.
"We have more than doubled our sales this year," comments Kaj
Färm. "We now have a market share of about 20 per cent.
Australia is also Scania's largest market for gas-powered
buses, with more than 320 units sold."

The gas-powered buses destined for Brisbane are built on
Scania's L94 UB4x2 low-floor chassis and feature an aluminium
body from domestic bodybuilder Volgren, with whom Scania
enjoys close co-operation. The gas tanks on the roof are made
of a composite material, which means they are both lightweight
and strong. The operating range on a full tank is 450 km.

The longitudinally installed 260 hp gas engine is based on
Scania's 9-litre diesel power unit. A gas engine operates
according to the Otto combustion principle, so it is quieter
than an engine with conventional fuel injection.

"This, combined with the low emissions, makes the gas engine
highly suitable for buses in urban traffic, where the
environmental demands are particularly high," explains Kaj
Färm.

For pictures, see
http://www.scania.com/news/archive/wwwtxt/N02060EN.htm

For further information, please contact Gunnar Boman, Scania
Business Communications, tel. +46 8 55389510, +46 70 5508606.
E-mail  

Scania is one of the world's leading manufacturers of trucks
and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial
and marine engines. With 28,300 employees and production
facilities in Europe and Latin America, Scania is one of the
most profitable companies in its sector. In 2001, turnover
totalled SEK 53,000 million and the result after financial
items was SEK 1,500 million. Scania products are marketed in
about 100 countries worldwide and some 95 percent of Scania's
vehicles are sold outside Sweden. Bus manufacture takes place
in Sweden, Poland, Russia, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.

Scania press releases are available on the Internet,
www.scania.com