(19 Oct 2024, 10:51 am)L469 YVK wrote I think there was a big push for lightweight vehicles during the middle of last decade though.

I don't think Volvo should've went with the B5TL, as the lightweight decker segment was already well covered by the StreetDeck and to be fair, if just 'pottering' around the doors which they were designed for, a WrightBus Integral chassis would be more than fine.

Maybe Volvo should've offered both a B7TL2 (with the Cummins ISBe 6.7) where something more substantial than a StreetDeck was required but not 'too' substantial......and a B8TL (using the Volvo D8K) where something truly heavy duty was needed and a like for like replacement to the B9TL.

Both would've been good alternatives to the ADL E400MMC chassis and Scania N250UD chassis.

See not sure I'd offer the Cummins, the D8K isn't a million miles away from it anyway (7.7L I believe).

I'd just have offered only a Volvo B8TL. Personally I don't really see the reason for why the B5TL needs to exist, at all. As when you're down to that territory you'd be better off buying the B5LH which pretty much all the London operators did anyway.

Apart from a few orders in Ireland, the B5TL has sold pretty terribly really and I don't blame operators for not wanting to spend a fortune on a vehicle which is questionably worse than a Streetdeck or Enviro 400 MMC and in cities is worse than the B5LH. It's like the bus which never needed to exist imo.