Sala de Imprensa

Company pioneered and leads the School Bus segment

In June, Volare, the light vehicle manufacturer and business unit of Marcopolo S.A., celebrates 19 years of activities. During this period, the brand achieved great success in Brazil and abroad with the production of a diversified line of models, ranging from the compact Volare Five, W-L with capacity for 36 passengers, to the School Bus and the 4x4 versions.

There are more than 60 thousand units sold, with emphasis on the supply of approximately 10,000 vehicles to several Brazilian municipalities within the Caminho da Escola  (Pathway to School) program of the Federal Government, which makes Volare the most successful brand in this important segment.

Volare was born as a lightweight model for the transport of people and has become the assembler of a complete line of vehicles. Its main characteristic is the development of functional, practical, robust and unique vehicles, producing minibuses for the tourism and charter segments, school, urban, road and driving school, among others.

"In these 19 years, we have become market leaders of light vehicles of up to 10,000 kg of total gross weight in Brazil with more than 50% market share. Volare is recognized by the continuous launch of new models and versions that have transformed the brand into a reference in transportation, from urban application to use in tourism or as a transportation vehicle for students, " explains João Paulo Ledur, Volare Business Manager .

Volare has two manufacturing units, one located in Caxias do Sul, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and another one in São Mateus, in the state of Espírito Santo. In 2017, Volare sold 1,368 units, of which more than 400 were sold to foreign markets.

A Success Story

In addition to all the models developed along its trajectory, Volare presented several innovations such as the School Bus. In 1999, the first Volare model was designed to transport students and became a reference in the national market. Other important innovations were the launching of 4x4 traction models, low floor, pneumatic suspension and the use of automotive concepts unheard of in the bus industry.

In 2015, Volare launched the Access model, which is the first low-floor mini-bus with Full Air suspension and rear engine. The new vehicle was designed to offer total accessibility, more comfort and safety for passengers and to meet the growing national demand for a collective, selective school transport within the highest quality standards.

Volare Access was developed with the aim of being an important reference in its segment. "We have developed a vehicle that combines the agility and versatility of a mini-bus with superior comfort, safety and accessibility standards that are found only in technically more advanced models," says Ledur. The vehicle has been used with great success  from urban transportation, such as in the city of Santos or in Balneário de Camboriú in Santa Catarina, to the school version exported last year to the DTC (Dubai Taxi Company/School bus Division), a Dubai transport operator in the United Arab Emirates.

Last year, the brand launched the Volare Five, an unprecedented model for the transportation of people in the Brazil, offering passengers and drivers the highest standards of comfort, ergonomics, safety and efficiency. Volare Five brings together the main features and advantages of a van, such as agility, drivability, low fuel consumption and maintenance costs with the attributes of a small bus (number of seats, comfortable seats, durability, maintenance costs, visibility, after-sales network, resale price and brand image).

This year, Volare is launching the first 100% electric minibus in Brazil in partnership with BYD - the world's leading developer of powertrain for electric vehicles. The new model is expected to be tested in 2017 and is the only one in its category worldwide because it has reduced length and weight, featuring pneumatic suspension, low floor and zero emission of pollutants. It has autonomy of 250 kilometers.