Bus To Coach BUS-MARKET 2018
ITALY HAS AWAKENED AUTONOMOUS DRIVING - THE 2018 OF DAIMLER - SOLARIS - VDL BUS & COACH - MARKETS - SPRINTER TOURER - ALFA BUS - SCANIA LNG - COLUMS
Transport Web Snc - www.bustocoach.com
EUROPEAN ON-LINE MAGAZINE - March 2019
MAGAZINE ON-LINE linked www.bustocoach.com - March 2019 BusToCoach
DIRECT LINK
COLUMS
European on-line magazine Editor in chief
Marino Ginanneschi
marino.ginanneschi@bustocoach.com
Managing editor and International relations
Elena Prearo
elena.prearo@bustocoach.com
Advertaising
USED BUS ON LINE
On www.bustocoach.com website is on line the directory dedicated to Used. SCANIA Trials on autonoumous driving.
DAIMLER Sales increase in 2018.
FLASH NEWS Live from the transport sector.
SOLARIS Scandinavian package for the coldest winter.
VDL BUS & COACH The Citea Electric LLE also in the 11-meter version.
HIGH TECH STORE Ronn, Birmingham, Voltabox.
ADV SPAZIO s.r.l. I 20129 Milano Via G. Modena 6 Tel. +39 02 7000 4031
E-mail: bustocoach@advspazio.it
Administration
Transport Web & C Snc I 20148 Milano Via Versilia 22
E-mail: bustocoach@bustocoach.com Internet: www.bustocoach.com Registration: Tribunale di Milano n. 140 del 16/03/2012
IN THE FOREGROUND
***
BusToCoachÂŽ Magazine is a monthly e-mail delivered to 12,000 European operators in the sector of bus passenger transport. To subscribe to our mailing list, send an e-mail to: bustocoach@bustocoach.com
BUS-MARKET In 2018 Italy has awakened.
MERCEDES-BENZ ALFA BUS EUROPA The Sprinter Tourer is Let’s start with the fitted with the new MBUX. 12.2-meter electric bus.
SCANIA First LNG-powered Interlink LD.
Here you can find those who deal with used buses in Italy and Europe *** Here you can find the selling prices suggested by BusToCoach for the Italian market or going directly to the link https://bustocoach.com/en/ quotes-bus/
FLASH NEWS
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
THE TRANSPORTER BECOMES ELECTRIC
THE eCITARO CROWNED IN SPAIN
he new fully electric city bus by Mercedes-Benz has been aunched at the 2018 IAA in Hanover, the ABT e-TranL sporter is the Volkswagen Transporter T6 van tuned Tcrowned City Bus of the Year 2019 in Spain. The jury was with an electric motor by the German tuner ABT Sportsli- made up of 46 experts from transport companies and associations,
ne. The vehicles is to be presented in a new aerodynamic variant at the Geneva Motor Show (7-17 March). Among the aesthetic improvements, a sportier front bumper, extended side skirts, large rear wing, 20-inch wheels with glossy black trim. The model also has a rear bumper with tailpipe covers thus pointing to the electric nature of the e-Transporter. The e-Transporter has a 37.3 kWh battery which guarantees, according to the manufacturer, about 208 km range per single charge. There is also a long-range variant with a 74.6 kWh battery pack that should double the estimated range of the electric van to around 400 km. The e-Transporter will be available through Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles from the third quarter of 2019 while ABT will sell the tuning package.
•
CASTROSA CNG BUSES IN SEVILLA
P
resented in the Andalusian city the new natural gas buses commissioned by the local transport company Tussam to the Castrosua Group on the basis of a framework agreement for a hundred buses. This first lot includes nine vehicles on MAN chassis and twenty on Scania chassis, all with the New City GNC bodywork. Another 60 units will be delivered during the year and in 2020. All buses have a length of 12 meters, three doors and space for two wheelchairs. The on- board equipment includes air conditioning system, automatic and manual ramp, LED lights both inside and outside.
•
THE CITEA ELECTRIC HAS BEEN AWARDED
VDL
Bus & Coach has won the EBUS Awards 2019 in Berlin in the ‘electric bus manufacturers’ category. Held every two years, the EBUS Awards is one of the most important German environmental awards for the public transport industry. The winners are chosen by the public transport companies participating in the VDV Conference of the German transport companies. The VDL Citea electric buses have been operating since 2015 in German in different versions. «The winners of the 2019 EBUS Awards» said Jochen Flasbarth, German State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Conservation of Nature and Nuclear Safety, «clearly demonstrated that the dedication and passion for electric buses is giving its fruits. All of them have made an important contribution to ensuring that electric buses are no longer a rare phenomenon in Germany, but a trend followed by more and more German cities».  
•
and the vote is run by the Editec publishing house. The MercedesBenz eCitaro was premiered worldwide at the IAA Commercial vehicles in autumn 2018. «Series production of the vehicle has since started» points out the manufacturer, «and the first buses have been brought into operation on regular-service bus routes». Last year, Mercedes-Benz won another prize in the Spanish country for the Tourismo which was awarded Touring Coach of the Year in Spain.
•
VDL ELECTRIC BUSES IN FINLAND
ohjolan Liikenne, one of the largest Finnish bus compaP nies (535 buses) has chosen again the VDL brand. The company has placed an order for 5 Citea SLE-129 Elec-
tric buses and 10 Citeas LLE- 127 Diesel. The buses will be used by the public transport authority HSL (Helsinki Region Transport) on various lines. The Citea SLE-129 Electric for Pohjolan Liikenne has a seating configuration of 40+4+1 and and a capacity of approximately 80 passengers. Equipped with the new 216-kWh battery pack, the buses are quickly topped up during the day through a roof-mounted pantograph with a power of 300 kW. At night the vehicles are also slow-charged via the CCS plug and preheated at the depot. The Citea LLE-127 diesel, with a length of 12.7 metres, is the longest Citea LLE version. The extended wheelbase provides four more seats than the 12-metre version. The vehicles for Pohjolan Liikenne feature a 39+4+1 seat layout. Both the models have special underfilm corrosion protection on all the floor elements and the lightweight and moisture-resistant XPS sidewall insulation material.
•
MAN CHASSIS FOR SINGAPORE
The MAN brand has become one of the strongest in Singapore in passenger transport by bus. 1,300 chassis have been delivered over the past eight years. Last October a milestone was celebrated with the symbolic delivery of the 1,000th MAN bus to the Land Transport Authority (LTA). The vehicles are marketed by the local importer ST Engineering Land Systems (STELS) and assembled by the Malaysian manufacturer Gemilag. The range includes 12-meter models, 18-m articulated and 12-m double-deckers, all based on MAN Truck & Bus’ city bus chassis. «Just last year, MAN Truck & Bus Asia Pacific received a major order for 500 double-decker and single-decker buses for Singapore, selling more vehicles in the process than ever before in a single year», reminds Christian Schuf of MAN Truck & Bus Asia Pacific .
•
FLASH NEWS
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
THE BEST IN THE GARAGE
THE LIBRARY TRAVELS ON ELECTRIC BUSES
he Gothenburg City Library focuses on clean energy replahe 51-year-old Belgian mechanic Joris Keymeulen is the T winner of the 2019 BusTech Challenge, the internal com- Tcing the current mobile library buses with electric-powered petition for bus mechanics held every two years by Daimler ones. The vehicles are two Volvo 7900 Electrics which will be
Buses. Keymeulen was awarded among 730 competitors from 17 European countries. In second place, Remo Glanzmann from Switzerland. Bronze medal for the Swedish Robin Sonfors. The employees had to answer a list of online bus-related questions at their own location. Topics included the bus itself, maintenance and repair. At the final round in Neu-Ulm at the beginning of February, the national winners also demonstrated their practical skills. For example, the mechanics had to search for faults in the bus air conditioning system, find and eliminate the reason for a total failure of the electrical system and repair the automatic transmission of a city bus.
•
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CALENDAR
•
MANY MAN GAS BUSES FOR CAIRO
he Cairo Transportation Authority (CTA) has awarded T MAN Truck & Bus for the supply of 122 natural gas buses. The vehicles will be produced in cooperation with
he 2019 Setra ‘Colors’ calendar has been awarded with T gold at the prestigious Gregor Calender Award 2019. About 700 calendars were viewed and evaluated. This is the
jury’s comment: «The twelve colours from the Setra design program take us through the year. It starts with orange, moves on to a sea of yellow petals in May and even sports a December that is as red as Santa Claus himself. A coach in the same colour tone unobtrusively accompanies each motif, thus underscoring our anticipation of future trips. A design that is powerful, monochrome and yet greatly nuanced». In recent years, Setra’s photographic calendar has won three bronze and one silver awards in the same competition.
•
I
supplied as a complete turnkey solution with Volvo handling all maintenance of the vehicles and their battery packs at a fixed monthly cost. Parking, charging and maintenance will take place at the new Volvo Trucks center in Mölndal. The Finnish body builder Kiitikori OY will take care of the interior equipment. The new mobile library buses, let us know from the Gothenburg library, in addition to the reading experience will also offer meeting opportunities for children and adults. «This will be clearly seen in the interior furnishings, which apart from bookshelves will accommodate meeting-places for children and adults alike».
the local importer, Kastour Egypt for Industry & Trading, which already delivered the first natural gas buses in December 2018. Another 60 vehicles are scheduled for delivery in July 2019 and the last units in the first quarter of 2020. The two-axle low-entry city buses are fitted with 33 seats and 67 standing places. They are built on a MAN type A69 chassis with a 310-hp gas engine (EEV emission standard and ZF Ecolife automatic gearbox with integrated hydraulic retarder. They are fitted with various assistance systems, such as the electronic brake system (EBS), disc brakes, electronically controlled air suspension (ECAS), automatic fire-extinguishing system in the engine compartment.
•
IRIZAR ELECTRIC BUSES IN LUXEMBOURG
CROSSWAY CNG BUSES FOR FRANCE
veco Bus has received an order for 37 Crossway Natural Power buses. These vehicles will be used in 23 cities in the Dracénie region, France. The 37 natural gas buses will be runned by the Beltrame Group and will be delivered to the Regional Council of Dracénie (Dracénie Provence Verdon Agglomeration – DPVA) by the end of 2019. Six more Crossway Low Entry Natural Power buses will be delivered in April 2019. These are the first Crossway LE CNG buses for the French market. The Beltrame Group will add a total of 80 vehicles to its fleet, including four Daily Blue Power NPs for urban transport and on-demand services. A CNG filling station will also be installed, which will also be open to other vehicles in the region using compressed natural gas.
•
he Luxembourg transport company ‘Voyages Simon’ has T purchased six 100% electric, zero emissions, Irizar ie buses, along with their charging infrastructures. The supply includes
maintenance and repair contracts. The 12-metre ie bus is equipped with Irizar Group technology, both in terms of electronics and communication facilities, as well as in the vehicle’s main systems: power train, battery modules and charging systems. The vehicles for Voyages Simon have a capacity for up to 72 passengers and are fitted with two doors, 40 seats, 2 folding seats and a wheelchair area. Each buses will be fitted with USB ports on the handrails and will be charged at depot overnight. Delivery is scheduled for June 2019. The ebuses will take service on different lines in Luxembourg city where theIrizar ie buses fleet will reach a total of 27 units during the year.
•
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
SCANIA FOR AUTONOMOUS DRIVING
The swedish manufacturer and the transport company Nobina will work together to conduct trials on driverless buses on regular routes in the Stockholm area cania also focuses on autonomous driS ving. The partnership with Nobina, the largest public transport operator in the Nor-
dic countries, is aimed at testing this type of bus in regular scheduled traffic, specifically on regular routes in the Stockholm area. The development project has already started and the trial will start in 2020. The trials will be conducted in two stages, initially without passengers and then with on-board commuters. To ensure maximum safety, there will also be a driver on board who will monitor operations and assist passengers. The protagonists of this trial will be two 12-meter Scania Citywide LF electric buses which can accommodate 80 passengers. These vehicles will connect the new residential area of Barkarby, around 20 kilometers from downtown Stockholm, with a nearby subway station. The buses will be in
service along a new dedicated 5-kilometer route with four stops. Initially, about one kilometer will be driven autonomously. In the second stage, around 300 passengers are expected to use this service daily. Traffic and control systems for the autonomous buses will be jointly managed by Scania and Nobina. During the trials, a series of data will be collected, including average speeds, uptime, performance, deviation response and passenger satisfaction. «The technology is now sufficiently mature to start trials in actual bus operations on public roads, making the project one of the first of its kind in Europe with vehicles of this size» said Karan Rådström, head of Scania Buses and Coaches. «The project will provide a great wealth of information in the further development of large autonomous buses before a full-scale introduction».
•
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
DAIMLER: GROWTH IN SALES
Revenue and sales increased in 2018 for the Daimler Group. Well done for Trucks and Buses divisions. Approximately 30,900 buses have been sold worldwide
ended for the Daimler Group 2018 with an increase in revenue and sales. The total revenue reached 167.36
DAIMLER BUSES DIVISIONS EU 30
Sales (units) 2018
2017
D%
9,284
8,687
+7
NAFTA
3,273
3,486
-6
Latin America
13,681
12,740
+7
Asia
3,172
2,348
+35
Rest of World
1,478
1,415
+4
TOTAL Daimler Buses
30,888
28,676
+8
man of the Board of Management of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars, during the presentation of the Group’s remillion euros (+2%) while sales increased sults, «2018 was a year of strong headwinds to 3.35 million units (+2.4%). On the other with the ongoing diesel debate, the changehand, EBIT (Earnings Before Interests and over to the new WLTP test method and the Taxes), which remains at high levels, decre- global trade dispute. All of this is reflected ased compared to the previous year (11.1 in our financial results and our share pribillion euros against 14.3 in 2017). Net ce. Nonetheless, we have faced those heprofit also decreased (€ 7.6 billion euros adwinds and made substantial progress on compared to € 10.6 billion euros in the pre- key areas for the future.” vious year). The best results, in terms of sales, are those «For Daimler», said Dieter Zetsche, Chair- recorded by Daimler Trucks (+ 10%) and Daimler Buses (+8). As far as bus sector is concerned, DAIMLER GROUP unit sales confirmed the expecDIVISIONS Revenue (millions EUR) EBIT (millions EUR) Sales (units) tations for 2018, well exceeding 2018 2017 D% 2018 2017 D% 2018 2017 D% 30,000 units (30,888) between complete buses and bus chassis Mercedes-Benz Cars 93,103 94,351 -1 7,216 8,843 -18 2,382,791 2,373,527 +0 sold compared to 28,676 units in Daimler Truck 38,273 35,755 +7 2,573 2,383 +16 517,335 470,705 +10 2017. The performances achieved at Mercedes-Benz Van 13,626 13,161 +4 312 1,147 -73 421,401 401,705 +5 European level were encouDaimler Buses 4,529 4,524 +0 265 281 30,888 28,676 -6 +8 raging with 9,284 units sold (+7%) in the EU30 region (EuDaimler Financial 26,269 24,530 +7 1,384 1,970 -30 ropean Union + Switzerland and TOTAL Daimler Group 167.362* 164,154* +2 11,132 14,348 -22 3,352,415 3,273,933 +2 Norway). A good performance was recor*) The total revenue decreased by about 8 billion euros due to the reconciliation. ded also in Latin America (+7%)
where Brazil, characterized by a slow economic recovery, recorded a double-digit increase in bus chassis sales (+22%). But the real boom was observed on the Asian front with a 35% increase. Spotlights were also on the Indian market with 1,600 units sold. The performance was bad, instead, in the NAFTA area (North American Free Trade Agreement), where sales decreased by 6%. In terms of market shares, Daimler Buses maintained its position in Europe with a 29% share (28.4% in 2017). On the domestic market (Germany), the margin remained high (49.23%) but with a slight contraction compared to 2017 (51.6%). As for finance, the turnover of Daimler Buses remained almost unchanged while the division’s EBIT was 6% lower than in 2017. «The decrease in EBIT» stated the manufacturer, «was due to the product mix and to the inflation-related cost increase. This was partially offset by higher unit sales». In 2019, Daimler Buses assumes that «unit sales will increase significantly, with slight growth in the EU30 region and a significant increase in India. In Latin America (excluding Mexico), unit sales are expected to be at the same level of the previous year».
•
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
URBINO BUSES THE CITEA LLE NORDIC ELECTRIC WINTER-PROOF STRETCHES Solaris buses can cope with extreme temperatures in Northern Europe thanks to a series of equipment provided in the ‘Scandinavian package’ olaris buses are equipped with the so-calS led ‘Scandinavian package’ to face the most rigid climates in Northern Europe in complete safety. Over a thousand Urbinos are circulating in the North, stated Solaris Bus & Coach, and some of them in cities which are close to the Arctic Circle. These vehicles feature a double insulation of walls and roofs, as well as additional insulation of the chassis around the wheel arches. The floor undergoes additional preservation procedures to prevent humidity from damaging the structure. Extreme weather and road conditions also require the installation of additional connections in the floor to enable overnight battery charging. «Engines mounted in Solaris buses can cope with temperatures going down to -25° C» says the manufacturer from Bolechowo, «however, the engines used in natural gas-powered buses, popular in Sweden, need a temperature of at least -12° C to start the vehicle. Swedes solve the problem by applying a water-based
heating system in bus terminals». Around fifteen Solaris electric-powered buses are also circulating in the Scandinavian peninsula. On the electric Urbinos, the pantograph is heated. Another smart solution was applied in the Urbino 12 electric in Ystad, Sweden. The vehicle is programmed to hold a constant indoor temperature from 5 am, when the heater switches on automatically, ensuring that the vehicle interior reaches the desired temperature. Solaris buses also have to deal with high altitudes, such as the Urbino in the town of Sölden in the Alps. The bus line runs up to the highest bus stop in Europe (2675 m) at the foot of the glacier Rettenbach. There are also vehicles that are used as ski buses. The snowy roads are heavily sprinkled with salt, «which is why Austrian buses are coated with three layers of the best protection against the damaging influence of salt, while EBS valves in the chassis are additionally preserved. All wheels in the vehicle are adapted also to the use of snow chains».
•
The 11.5-meter version of the Citea Light Low Entry model debutes in the range of the electric buses manufactured by VDL Bus & Coach
he demand for electric-powered buses T is increasing and manufacturers respond with new models or range expansions. And
so does VDL Bus & Coach, introducing a new version of its electric bus. It is the Citea LLE-115 Electric, a variant of 11.5 meters of the Light Low Entry electric, offered up to now only in the 9.9-meter length. As always it can be equipped with different charging systems, door configurations and interior solutions. It features an on-board passenger capacity with a maximum seating arrangement of 35+4+1. The vehicle is equipped as standard with a 180 kWh battery pack. The range declared by VDL is 100-150 kilometers without any intermediate recharging. «Thanks to high-quality batteries and smart charging solutions» adds the Dutch manu-
facturer, «it is possible to achieve a range of up to 500 km a day with an intermediate recharging. In addition to the standard plug, a pantograph can be used for quick charging at up to 270 kW». The range of VDL branded electric products consists of three models: Low Floor (also in the articulated version), Low Entry and Light Low Entry. As far as sizes is concerned, the lengths range from a minimum of 9.9 meters to a maximum of 18.7 meters. «Three hundred VDL electric buses travel an average of 62,000 kilometers a day”, according to VDL Bus & Coach, “already resulting in a total number of electric kilometers driven of more than 22 million. This results in consequent CO2 savings of 50 tons per day and has a positive impact on air quality».
•
COMPONENTS ON LINE For a comprehensive list of Suppliers of bus components in Italy and in Europe visit: www.bustocoach.com/en
HIGH TECH STORE
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
HYDROGEN-POWERED BUS FOR EXPORT
he US Ronn Motor Group announced that, under T the joint venture with the Chinese JV, they will produce a lightweight hydrogen-powered fuel cell bus
with enhanced battery. Vehicles are intended for both the Asian market and export. «These buses» explained the CEO Ronn Ford, «should be 30 percent lighter using our new nano-composite and fuel cell technologies, which will both extend driving range. Although built inside China for China, we expect to export these buses to developing hydrogen economies like California and London» «In addition» added Ford, «our executive team is negotiating with the governments of three provinces that are seeking to work together with us and start promoting sustainable hydrogen technologies and infrastructure». The Chinese automotive market is the largest in the world, with government mandates to remove fossil fuel vehicles from 2019. In addition, Chinese leaders have recently announced that hydrogen will serve as the new energy to power NEVs (New Energy Vehicles) for the future as China transitions from battery technology to NEVs.
•
To search for individual company profiles visit: https://bustocoach.com/en/italyproviders/ https://bustocoach.com/en/europeproviders/
Select products by category and read available components details: https://bustocoach.com/en/italycomponents/ https://bustocoach.com/en/europecomponents/
BIRMINGHAM
VOLTABOX FOR KIEPE
Chinese partners to develop a gas turbine range extender for electric vehicles. In this regard, a UK-based company, the Birmingham High Performance Turbomachinery Limited, has been set up to design and manufacture the engine. The Chinese company Wuxi Yuanchang, based in Jiangsu, will instead develop a high-speed electric generator to be installed on the engine. Primarily, designed as a range extender for electric vehicles, the engine can also be used as a highly efficient and compact power source for automatic air vehicles, boats, buses and trucks. «This is a radically different proposition to current piston engines» said Kyle Jiang, the Director of the Research Center for High Performance Turbomachinery at the University of Birmingham, «it has much higher thermal efficiency and much lower emissions. We believe that this innovation will give a competitive edge to the British automotive industry and will have a major impact on the European lightweight vehicle market, which is worth around half-a-trillion euros».
four cities in Switzerland and Italy. Deliveries will start in mid2018 and will be completed in spring 2021. The order also includes the associated air-conditioning systems for liquid cooling of the battery systems. Voltabox has developed a standard container that is designed to easily fit into all vehicles produced by leading manufacturers of trolleybuses in Europe and North America. The container can be used as a traction battery for hybrid and electric buses. Voltabox 300-kg standard containers have an energy content of 15.2 kWh. The permanent charging capacity is 50 kW, with a peak capacity of 80 kW. A battery system consists of 3 standard containers, each of which contains twelve battery modules with cells based on lithium titanate (LTO). According to Voltabox, the new generation of batteries lasts five times longer than the previous battery systems for trolleybuses with over 15 thousand charging and discharging cycles. The system has already been tested in two trolleybuses in Arnhem, Netherlands. Voltabox is using its technology not only for trolleybuses, but also for trucks. They claim that they have the ideal technology for catenary concepts (overhead line) for trucks and that these solutions are currently enjoying an increase in attention.
niversity of Birmingham scientists have received a £ iepe Electric, leader system provider for the electrified public U 554,000 grant from Innovative UK, a public institution Ktransport, has placed an order for 80 Voltabox Lithium-ion funded by the British government, to work together with battery systems. These systems will be fitted on trolleybuses in
•
•
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
POSITIVE BUT NOT TOO MUCH
NEW BUS REGISTRATIONS IN EUROPE (ACEA source)
MARKETS
2018
2015
2016
2017
2018
2018-2017 D%
AUSTRIA
900
899
1,043
1,244
1,125
-9.6%
BELGIUM
1,142
923
714
869
1,060
22%
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
CROATIA
96
122
186
204
224
9.8%
CYPROS
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
n.a.
BULGARIA
CZECH REPUBLIC
The European bus & coach market increased by 1.3% in 2018. Well done in Central and Eastern Europe but the performance was bad in the other countries (except in Italy) ended positively. The increase was however “slight”, that is just 1.3%. This was announced by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) in the economic survey on the commercial vehicles market. The data refers to buses and coaches over 3.5 tons, registered between January and December 2018 in the European Union. The total vehicles amounted to 41,992 compared to 41,452 vehicles registered in 2017. In the Western area the minus sign outnumbered. Germany and France declined, although just slightly (the first decreased by 0.3% with 6,687 registrations and the latter by 1.6% with 6,230 units). Spain recorded also a decrease (-5.7%, 3.327 vehicles). The performance was bad also in the Brexit area: 7,403 new registered buses in the UK, that is 11.3% less than in 2017. Italy, in counter-trend with respect to the performance of other Western countries, registered an increase even more encouraging than the one of the previous year (+20.3%). The number of buses registered in Italy exceeded the threshold of 4 thousand units and reached 4,584 units with an increase of 36.7%. Italy thus confirmed the positive trend of the last five years and ranked four-
2014
th among the European markets in terms of importance. Negative performance in Northern Europe for The Netherlands (-36.6%), Luxembourg (-9.2%), Sweden (-28.4%), Finland (-7.6%) and Denmark (-32.5%). The only safe country was Belgium, with a two-digit progress (+22%). Ireland is also booming: the number of registered buses increased up to 31.6%. The bearish trend hit also the Baltic countries with Latvia decreasing by 48.6% and Estonia by 35.4%, while Lithuania stood out with the best performance of the year (+77.6%). Demand decreased also in the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) with a negative performance for all the member states: Switzerland (-4.4%), Norway (-13.8%) and Iceland (-30.1%). Good news come from Central and Eastern Europe, hence the boost for the 2018 EU market. Well done for Croatia (+9%), Poland (+17%) and, even better, for Romania (+28.4%) and Czech Republic (+49.6%) which reverse the negative trend of the previous year. It should be underlined, finally, the recovery of Greece (+38.4%).
•
n.a.
1,061
1,350
1,013
804
1,203
49.6%
DENMARK
468
532
736
856
578
-32.5%
ESTONIA
138
230
172
212
137
-35.4%
FINLAND
691
526
586
514
475
-7.6%
FRANCE
5,896
7,345
6,593
6,329
6,230
-1.6%
GERMANY
5,651
6,137
6,683
6,697
6,687
-0.1%
GREECE
175
129
191
190
263
38.4%
HUNGARY
467
546
408
642
659
2.6%
IRELAND
207
313
362
339
446
31.6%
ITALIY*
1,975
2,419
2,791
3,353
4,584
36.7%
LATVIA
208
251
179
245
126
-48.6%
LITHUANIA
288
192
263
392
696
77.6%
LUXEMBURG
159
251
205
239
217
-9.2%
NETHERLANDS
665
344
840
887
562
-36.6%
1,472
1,739
1,987
2,288
2,687
17.4%
POLAND PORTUGAL
239
254
354
361
510
41.3%
ROMANIA
1,148
2,309
1,102
1,031
1,324
28.4%
SLOVAKIA
447
379
364
403
351
-12.9%
SLOVENIA
168
163
188
183
187
2.2%
SPAIN
1,896
2,617
3,299
3,527
3,327
-5.7%
SWEDEN
1,335
1,330
1,333
1,301
931
-28.4%
UNITED KINGDOM
6,669
8,483
9,140
8,342
7,403
-11.3%
EUROPEAN UNION
33,561
39,783
40,732
41,452
41,992
1.3%
ICELAND
66
95
235
156
109
-30.1%
NORWAY
1,015
970
1,398
1,190
1,026
-13.8%
SWITZERLAND
649
745
699
712
681
-4.4%
EFTA
1,730
1,810
2,332
2,058
1,816
-11.8%
TOTAL EU+EFTA
35,291
41,593
43,064
43,510
43,808
0.7%
*) ANFIA estimate, based on data of the Italian Ministry of Transport.
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
NET RECOVERY FOR THE ITALIAN MARKET
The number of new bus registrations in 2018 in Italy confirmed the growth trend with a + 36.2%. This was even more important because the growth was led by medium-long size buses ccording to data produced by Anfia (NaA tional Association of the Automotive Industry) on the basis of the number of registra-
2018 compared to 2017. This was an excellent result and brought the Italian market back to pre-crisis levels of 2008, with about 3,300 tions recorded by the Ministry of Transport, buses weighing over 8 tons sold. The result the Italian market of buses weighing more than was good but not yet sufficient to significan35 quintals recorded an increase of 36.2% in tly lower the average age of the circulating fleet. To reach the ITALIAN MARKET 2018 BY MANUFACTURERS average European Bus&Coach+Chassis (3,434 units, excluding Mini/Schoolbus) level (6/7 years) it would need an annual renewal of OTHERS 0.9% BYD 0.6% about 4,500 vehiTEMSA 1.5% OTOKAR 1.5% cles for at least ISUZU 0.7% IIA 8.7% the next 5 years MAN TRUCK & BUS 9.9% and without being fascinated by elec(MAN+Neoplan) tric buses which EVOBUS 28.3% are economically (Mercedes+Setra) unsustainable and ecologically questionable. But let’s go back to the analysis of IRIZAR 1.8% the Italian market SCANIA 5.3% IVECO BUS 33.4% 2018. Data procesSOLARIS 3.3% sed by Anfia have VAN HOOL 1.1% been used because VDL 1.8% VOLVO BUS 1.2% closer to the sales turnover of the
NEW BUSES IN ITALY Segment (EU Classes) CITYBUS (I) INTERCITY (II) COACH (III) Total Buses-Coaches MIDIBUS CITY (I) MIDIBUS INTERCITY (II) MIDIBUS TTOURISM (III) Total Midibus MINIBUS CITY (A) MINIBUS INTERCITY (B) MINIBUS TOURISM (B) Total Minibus SCHOOLBUS Total
2018
2017
Var. %
1.432 1.043 818 3.293 47 10 84 141 117 48 456 621 547 4.602
566 678 786 2.030 66 60 80 206 96 16 532 644 499 3.379
+153,0 +53,8 +4,1 +62,2 -28,8 -83,3 +5 -31,6 +21,9 +200 -14,3 -3,6 +9,6 +36,2
Source: Anfia/Italian Ministry of Transport. Data as of 31.01.2019 manufacturers. Data were related to the date of issue of the registration books whi1.500 ch are partially different from the number of registrations (which refers to the subsequent 1.000 date of delivery of the plates). In addition to this, Anfia also uses a different classification of vehicles by ‘segment’ that does not correspond 500 to the European classification (Class A, B, I, II and III). Minibuses are vehicles with GVW up 0 to 8,200 kg and therefore the conformity with Mini City Mini Int/Tur. City Intercity Tourism Schoolbus the European classification (Class A and B, up to 22 places) is relative. Midibuses have instead a GVW of over 8,200 buses (+30.4 %, 1,043 vehicles) and touring kg and a length of up to 9,34 meters (in Europe coaches (+4.1%, 818 vehicles). The midibuses there is no distinction of length but only of instead decreased by 31.6% (141 vehicles), but use, Classes I, II and III). Finally, all vehicles this had just a little effect on the overall averawith a length of more than 9.34 meters are de- ge. Short-size buses (1,168 vehicles) remained fined as specified buses. All buses should be substantially stable, with a 14.3% decrease in classified as city or intercity buses and touring touring minibuses (456 units), offset by the growth of school buses (+ 9.6%, 547 units). coaches. Lastly, due to the time of data collection by As far as manufacturers is concerned, about the Ministry of Transport, it is possible that two thirds of the Italian market of medium-long there is some discrepancy with regard to the size buses continues to be in the hands of Iveco Bus (36.0%, with 1,148 vehicles) and Evobus real number of registrations. It is important to notice that 2018 sales were (28.3%, 974 vehicles branded Mercedes and driven by full-size buses that recorded a Setra). They’re followed by MAN Truck&Bus +62.2% increase: city buses were at the helm (9.9%, 339 vehicles) with MAN and Neoplan (+153%, 1,432 vehicles), followed by intercity models, Scania (5.3%, 182 vehicles) with Iri-
NEW BUS&COACH IN ITALY 2018 BY BRAND INTERCITY (1,053 units)
CITYBUSES (1,479 units) OTHERS 2% SETRA 15.7%
OTHERS 1,4% MAN 10.1%
IIA 20.1%
EVOBUS 0.9% SCANIA 3.7%
MAN 7%
OTHERS 6.8%
IVECO 71.4%
shareholder in IIA) pending the real start of production at the plant in Fiumeri. The remaining 11.1% of the market is split between all the other manufacturers with shares below 2%. As for the different market segments, the doubling of medium-long distance city bus sales (from 632 in 2017 to 1,479 in 2018) was all in favor of Evobus, which increased the Mercedes share from 16.3% to 27.5%, to which must be added the 15.7% assigned to the Setra brand
MINIBUS CITY (117 units) OPEL 4.3% IVECO 22.2%
SETRA 13.6%
IVECO 14.5%
IVECO 16.1%
zar vehicles and then Solaris (3.3%, 115 vehicles). As for Italian Bus Industry (IIA), data processed by Anfia estimate 298 vehicles sold (compared to 156 in 2017) corresponding to a market share of 8.7%. Despite this doubling of sales, the company was one step away from bringing books to court and only the intervention of the State and the consequent corporate reshuffle made up for it. It is still unclear until when buses will continue to be manufactured in Turkey by Karsan (already minority
NEOPLAN 4.5%
MAN 6.3% SCANIA 1.7%
(233 vehicles). Data processed by Anfia could however reveal some mistakes because most of the registered models are probably intercity and not city buses. Iveco Bus decreased from 35.1% to 16.1%, while IIA (20.1%), MAN (7%) and Scania (5.2%) increased. Iveco Bus made up brilliantly, however, with intercity buses, grabbing over two thirds of the market share (71.4%) thanks to the uncontested Crossway range. In contrast, just a frac-
NEW MINIBUSES IN ITALY 2018 BY BRAND MINIBUS INTERCITY/TOURISM (504 units) NEW CAR 2.8% OTHERS 11.7% INDCAR 3.4% FIAT 4% MERCEDES 22.9% RENAULT 2.8% IVECO (others) 3%
MERCEDES 54.7%
IVECO 28.3%
SCHOOLBUS (547 units) OPEL 5.7% VOLKSWAGEN 0.9%
IVECO (others) 10.1%
OTHERS 0.9% MERCEDES 18.1% FIAT 1.1% FORD 3.1%
MB (others) 3.8%
FORD 24.1%
IRIZAR 9.3% INDCAR 1.8% ISUZU 2.1%
tion for the Mercedes/Setra models of Evobus but probably most of the 233 vehicles classified as ‘City’ buses should instead be counted in this segment. A big share of the intercity segment was recorded also by MAN (10.1%) and Solaris (8.6%), although lower compared to 2017. Evobus continues to have a third of the market share of touring coaches (32.8%, minus one point) with the Mercedes and Setra models; Iveco gained a point and a half reaching 14.5%
OPEL 4.0%
IVECO (others) 12%
MERCEDES 19.2%
VDL 6.1%
OTOKAR 1.1% IRIZAR 2.8%
TEMSA 0.9% OTOKAR 2.5 BYD 1.5% SOLARIS 1.6% SCANIA 5.2%
OTHERS 6% TEMSA 4% VOLVO 4.7% VAN HOOL 4.1%
SOLARIS 8.6%
MERCEDES 27.5%
COACH (902 units)
ISUZU 7.1%
IVECO 53%
REGISTRATIONS USED BUSES IN ITALY
Country of origin AUSTRIA BELGIUM BULGARIA FRANCE GERMANY NETHERLANDS POLAND SPAIN SWEDEN SWITZERLAND OTHERS Total
2018 91 21 17 111 251 19 16 11 9 70 98 714
2017 78 4 2 84 257 25 45 25 29 47 158 754
Source: Anfia/Italian Ministry of Transport. Data as of 31.01.2019
REGISTRATIONS USED BUSES IN ITALY
Brands EVOBUS FIAT IVECO MAN-NEOPLAN OTOKAR SCANIA SOLARIS TEMSA VAN HOOL VDL VOLVO OTHERS Total
2018 405 30 103 94 4 21 9 8 12 7 6 15 714
2017 353 12 79 111 4 12 62 63 3 21 14 20 754
Source: Anfia/Italian Ministry of Transport. Data as of 31.01.2019
while the MAN/Neoplan group lost one point reaching 10.8%. Satisfactory was also the performance of Irizar (9.3%) and VDL (6.1%). All the others were below 5% As for minibuses with GVW up to 8,200 kg, only 117 were urban (partly classified as belonging to Class A). 61.5% were built on Mercedes chassis, 34.2% on Iveco and 4.3% on Opel ones. The biggest market share was composed of 504 intercity and touring minibuses (Class B). In addition to vehicles built on Iveco chassis (increasing up to 31.3%) and Mercedes chassis (26.7%), the presence of Ford was confirmed with 24.1%, substantially stable compared to 2017. All the other competitors were below 4%, starting with the big ones like Fiat, Opel and Renault, followed by the vehicles branded New Car and Indcar (Spain). School buses (547 units), complete buses or manufactured by third parties, are led as always by Iveco with 63.1%, followed by Mercedes (18.1% compared to 24% in 2017) and other car manufacturers led by Opel with 5.7%. It should be underlined the presence of Isuzu which recorded a remarkable 7.1% Used vehicles imported from various European countries must be added to the number of new vehicles in order to complete the picture of the new arrivals on the Italian market. These are 714 buses, most of them (73%) coming from Germany, France, Austria and Switzerland. German brands are confirmed as the most popular, respectively with 56.7% for Evobus (Mercedes and Setra) and 13.2% for MAN Truck & Bus (MAN and Neoplan) followed by Iveco vehicles with a significative 14,4%. This is a clear sign of the trust of those who buy because of brand reliability, in addition to the objective greater availability of these vehicles on the European markets. But how much does the introduction of used buses on the market contribute to the greening of circulating buses in Italy? Just a little. Over 50% of used vehicles (366 vehicles) are more than 8 years old, 236 are 4 to 8 years old and only 112 are less than 4 years old. It is important to note that 68 vehicles were registered in 2018, so they were practically new. In terms of pollution class, only 11.3% are Euro VI, 51.4% are Euro V and the remaining 37.3% are Euro III and IV.
•
INFORMATION IS ON THE NET www.bustocoach.com/en The “Vehicles” section in the website provides data sheets for all types of buses available on the market, inclusive of photographs, as well as historical profiles and manufacturer’s details. Equally comprehensive information can be found in the “Components” section.
There are also the Directories dedicated to the market of “Used buses”, including sale ads, professional sales agents across the Europe landscape and quotes for all types of vehicle models.
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
INTERACTIVE AND ALWAYS ON-LINE
The second version of the MBUX system debuted in Italy on the Sprinter range. The Mercedes-Benz infotainment is designed also for commercial vehicles
ince the launch of the fourth version of S its commercial vehicle, just over a year ago, the manufacturer of Stuttgart rather than
offer data on weight, size, payload and consumption, focuses entirely on what can not be seen but... can be felt. Taken for granted that its lightweight vehicle represents the paradigm of the work vehicle in terms of strength, reliability, cost efficiency and practicality, Mercedes-Benz now aims to make it interactive and connected with the driver. Rather than modern it could be considered alien and, above all, so smart that it is able to learn from experience and automatically save road routes and, practically, the owner’s habits. Ultimately, aboard the new Sprinter there are always two drivers. The MBUX system is the gateway to the di-
gital universe. It is the global network containing all the information, even predictive one if concerning maintenance, which could be offered by a state-of-the-art smartphone. Information can also be related to driver’s health and mood, if he is wearing a Garmin watch, which transmits pulse and heartbeat. “In Italy,” says Dario Albani, Managing Director of Mercedes Vans, “in 2018 we registered more than 10,000 Sprinter vehicles, with a market share of 5.5%, which, including Vito and class V vehicles, increases to 10%”. If, from now on, Sprinter will be totally connected and the market share will be confirmed also in 2019, the importance of a new generation of “always on-line” commercial vehicles will represent a turning point. Thanks to the digital platforms of Mercedes me, Mercedes PRO and Mercedes me Connect Business, the MBUX system offers services and features increasingly in line with customer requirements, thus ensuring a customised response to the needs of infotainment and work management. Just say: Hey Mercedes! and MBUX will understand complex questions and answer quickly. On the new Sprinter, MBUX offers an environment similar to daily work, thanks to the communication with the Mercedes PRO
digital platform, which includes six different services: Mercedes PRO connect, Mercedes PRO service, Mercedes PRO finance, Mercedes PRO solution and Mercedes PRO inspire mobility. MBUX connectivity now enables more efficient fleet management, cheapest and fastest route organisation, and maintenance operations with reduced downtime. In addition, thanks to Mercedes PRO Store, you can buy directly online eight additional sets of services just like you would do with an
app downloaded on your phone. Even if now the ‘phone’ is increasingly blending with the vehicle itself. It reminds of the movie ‘Her’ (2014), whose main character was an Artificial Intelligence with whom you could even fall in love; also because it was personified through the voice of Scarlett Johansson. All this is obviously available also for the Sprinter Tourer with high roof dedicated to passenger transport (8+1 seating arrangement), in lengths of 5.27, 5.95 and 6.97 meters.
•
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
R
eady, steady, go. After the foundation of Alfa Bus Europe at the end of 2017 and the following setting of a prototype which met the European standards, the first electric low floor bus is ready to be saled in Italy and in other European countries. At the headquarters of Basco Srl (partner of Alfa Bus Europe together with the Chinese company Jangsu Alfa Bus Co., Ltd) in Olgiate Comasco, the spaces for support and for the management of spare parts are almost ready. E-CITY L12 Length mm 12,200 Width mm 2,550 Height mm 3,270 Wheelbase mm 5,950 Front overhang mm 2,830 Rear overhang mm 3,420 Seats/total max 28+1H/90 Electric motor synchronous Power cont/max kW 100/200 Torque cont/max Nm 1,200/2,400 Batteries tipo NMC Capacity kWh 354 Autonomy km 300 Charging system CCS Combo2 Charging power kW 25/50/180
ALFA BUS FOCUSES ON EUROPE
The sales of Alfa Bus electric buses in Italy and Europe will start with a 12.2-meter low floor bus. The range will be at its best The first model will be a 12.2-meter bus, called for this reason E-City L12, which will soon be joined by the 8-meter version. It is a three-door bus with fully-lowered floor that takes advantage of the experience gained in China by Alfa Bus in the field of fully electric buses: over 30 million kilometers travelled. On the left side of the rear axle it is equipped with a synchronous three-phase motor with permanent magnets of 100 kW of continuous power that reaches up to 200 kW of peak power, as well as the available torque ranges from 1,200 Nm of continuous power to a
maximum of 2,400 Nm. It is powered by 12 battery packs positioned in equal parts on the roof and on the back of the vehicle, in two separate bunk compartments. It is the result of the agreement with the Japanese AESC for the supply of high-performance nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cells. The battery packs have a power capacity of 354 kWh and promise a range of more than 300 kilometers. This overshadows the visual impact of the roof-mounted sarcophagus in which they are contained. Their life expectancy is more than eight years and they can be recharged via charger (which
can also be supplied by Alfa Bus) with a CCS Combo2 connector of 25, 50 or 180 kW charging capacity, which enable a full charging in 11, 6-7 or 3-4 hours. Everything is managed by the drive control unit (DCU) and by the main control unit (MCU), supported by the integrated auxiliary control unit (IACU) and the battery management system (BMS). The rest of the E-City uses a self-supporting structure with solutions aimed at weight control, a functional interior layout (with Fainsa seats mounted cantilevered on the side walls) and branded accessories. It is equipped with ZF axles (with front independent wheels), Wabco suspension with Ecas electronically control air suspension, Knorr braking system with EBS3 branded Wabco and braking energy recovery system, Actia’s VDV dashboard, electro-pneumatic or fully-electric Isaf doors, and Valeo Spheros air-conditioning system with separate management for the passenger compartment and the driver’s area. Upon request, it can be fitted with electric preheater and fire protection system.
•
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - March 2019
FIRST SCANIA LNG BUS IN ITALY
By the end of 2019, 15 Scania Interlink LD LNG buses will be delivered to TPER in Bologna. They represent a real innovation for intercity transport
he Emilian transport company TPER, which T has more than 300 CNG buses in its fleet, now bets on liquified natural gas and places an order to Scania for 15 LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) intercity buses. Deliveries are expected by the end of the year. The model is the 12.2-meter Scania Interlink LD powered by a 320-hp engine. It represents a real innovation for intercity passenger transport (already in service for freight transport). It is, indeed, the first intercity bus of this type which INTERLINK LD LNG Length mm 12,190 Width mm 2,550 Height with AC mm 3,310 Wheelbase mm 6,000 Front overhang mm 2,795 Rear overhang mm 3,395 Seats 55+1 Engine Scania OC09 Displacement cc 9,290 Power cv (kW)/rpm 320 (235)/1,900 Torque max Nm/rpm 1,500/1,100 Gearbox ZF automatic LNG tanks 200+150 kg
has been ordered in Italy. These vehicles, according to the manufacturer, ensure a range of up to 1,100 kilometers. Scania’s LNG solution was launched at the latest IAA in Hannover with MD and HD models for long-distance services. In Italy, the natural gas-powered Interlink was available only in the LD version powered by CNG, compressed into cylinders housed on the roof. In the LNG model the two cryogenic liquid cylinders are housed (one on each side) under the floor between the axles. They can be accessed from side doors and are made of stainless steel. They have a diameter of 660 mm and can hold 200+150 kg of gas (472+407 liters)
maintained at -165 ° C with an internal pressure of 10 bar. Liquified natural gas occupies a space 600 times less than natural gas in its gaseous state and vehicles are therefore also lighter. Compared to diesel engines, particulate emissions are practically zero and there is a reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions up to 50% compared to Euro VI emission standards. CO2 emissions are also lower. It is equipped with the 9.3-liter (320 hp) Scania OC09 106.320 engine used also for CNG buses. In order to completely burn the natural gas and reduce NOx emissions it employs a form of stoichiometric combustion. To fur-
ther reduce pollutants (CO2, NOx and HC), it adopts an indirect injection exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system and a three-way catalytic converter. «Many public transport companies are starting to consider LNG as an extremely interesting transport solution from both an economic and an environmental point of view» said Roberto Caldini, Italscania’s Buses & Coaches Director. «The network of filling stations is growing very quickly. At the same time, important investments have been made in order to offer alternative fuel vehicles that provide comparable and sometimes even better performances than diesel buses».
•