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Exel Composites (Vantaa, Finland), in a partnership with bus and coach supplier Yutong (Zhengzhou, China), has provided and delivered fiberglass profiles for 33 electric buses in Helsinki, Finland. Exel Composites provided Yutong with the skirt and side panels of the electric buses, which were delivered to Finnish bus and road operator, Pohjolan Liikenne. 

According to Exel, composites reduce weight on the buses, reducing fuel consumption and lifetime maintenance costs, and increasing efficiency. The introduction of the electric buses is part of Finland’s goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 5 million kilograms per year.

According to Exel, these electric buses mark the first time that Yutong, which became the first listed bus company in China in 1997, has entered the Finnish market. This is also the largest volume of buses that Finland has purchased from overseas. The country aims to have 400 electric buses operating in the capital by 2025.

“The light weight of fiberglass was important to this project, as it reduces operating costs and helps to increase energy efficiency and environmental sustainability,” says Kathy Wang, head of the North Asia sales region at Exel Composites. “Additionally, our composite profiles are resistant to deformation, chemicals and harsh road environments. Repairing fiberglass is straightforward and can be done in depot. This means that the overall operational maintenance and lifetime costs of the buses is decreased.”