Swedish commercial vehicle maker Scania has revealed one of its Scania chassis Irizar bodied coaches has been awarded the Sustainable Bus Award for 2027 in the Coach category
The Scania Irizar i6S Efficient PHEV was announced as the winner in the category, recognising the coaches’ plug-in hybrid platform as an “innovative solution for reducing fuel consumption by up to 47 percent”.
The Scania plug in hybrid coach also notably delivers emission reductions of up to 94 perccent in long-distance coach operations, while enabling up to 70 km in electric mode to increase comfort and support zero-emission zone compliance.
The Sustainable Bus Award is a European award recognising sustainability in the bus and coach industry. Its assessment takes a broad view of sustainability, including vehicle performance, safety, comfort, environmental impact and the manufacturer’s overall approach to sustainable transport.
Scania tells us that the Sustainable Bus Award jury recognised the ‘originality and coherence’ of how the i6S Efficient PHEV introduces plug-in hybrid technology to tourist transport and long-distance coach operations.
The company said that the solution combines a 338 kW Scania Super 13-litre engine with two 145 kW electric motors and an 89 kWh lithium-ion battery, contributing to excellent driveability.
The three-axle configuration can provide up to 70 km of electric driving with the two-axle variant offering a range of up to 80 km.
“Long-distance coach operations need solutions that work across very different parts of the journey, and with this plug-in hybrid platform, operators can use electric driving where it is required or creates customer value, while retaining and extending the range their operation demands and drastically reducing costs and emissions,” said Scania’s global head of business and people transport solutions, Anders Liss.
Scanis tells us that In favourable operating conditions, including en-route charging and in an operation suited to making effective use of the electric powertrain, the plug-in hybrid solution can reduce fuel consumption by up to 47 per cent compared with a conventional powertrain.
It added that the hybrid powertrain also provides efficiency benefits when external charging is not available.
The company said that the four drive modes, including electric, hybrid, charge sustain and forced charging, allow energy to be managed according to route characteristics and charging strategy.
The system is supported by Scania’s digital ecosystem for services, which includes tools for monitoring charging and range, analysing driving style, predictive maintenance, remote diagnostics and fleet performance management.
Scania claims that the coach’s battery can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent in approximately 44 minutes, while regenerative braking, electrified auxiliaries and intelligent energy management further contribute to reducing energy demand.
The company reckons that the combustion engine is compatible with renewable fuels, and when plug-in hybrid operation is combined with HVO, CO₂ emissions can be reduced by up to 94 per cent.
“These are two complementary possibilities and the plug-in hybrid powertrain also reduces fuel consumption by using electricity efficiently throughout the operation, while renewable fuel can then further reduce the CO₂ emissions associated with the fuel that is still needed,” said Liss.
The company claims that improvements in aerodynamics and weight reduction that comes with the vehicle’s Efficiency body further contribute to lowering energy demand, fuel consumption and associated emissions.
The judging jury particularly highlighted the ability for the coach to use electric propulsion in urban areas, terminals and zero-emission zones while having all the range required for longer assignments, as well as recognising the potential to reduce fuel consumption and emissions even with the infrastructure and operational constraints that still limit the use of fully electric coaches.
The award for the Scania Irizar i6S Efficient follows its Label of Excellence for Driveline Technology in the 2025 Busworld Vehicle Awards.
