Encouraging news for low-carbon public transportation comes from Sweden, where Volvo has announced plans for a new line of electric buses. The company is not just playing up their virtue for emission-less transport, but noiseless driving as well.

The buses, planned to start service in the Swedish city of Gothenburg in 2015, “will be extremely fuel-efficient, silent and completely emissions-free,” says the company.

The electric bus deployment will be part of a larger project known as ElectriCity which hopes to attract more commuters to use public transport. ElectriCity will include the creation and trial runs of new bus-stop solutions, traffic-routing systems, safety concepts, energy supply and business models.