Transport Web Snc - www.bustocoach.com
EUROPEAN ON-LINE MAGAZINE - September 2020
Bus To Coach eCITARO G
18-METER FULL ELECTRIC EU MARKET - IBE RIMINI - POWER - DENMARK - DAIMLER - MOBILITY IN ITALY - MERCEDES - TORSUS - ALTERNATIVE BUSES - COLUMS
MAGAZINE ON-LINE linked www.bustocoach.com - September 2020 DIRECT LINK
BusToCoach
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
EU MARKET The first quarter of the year is decreasing by 35%.
IBE RIMINI It is confirmed for mid-October.
POWER The strategies of the European Commission.
Administration
FLASH NEWS Live from the transport sector.
USED BUS ON LINE
On www.bustocoach.com website is on line the directory dedicated to Used.
HIGH TECH STORE Hitachi/ABB, FPT, Masats, Antivirus.
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
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DENMARK Only electric buses from 2021.
Here you can find those who deal with used buses in Italy and Europe
DAIMLER It is investing in the production of fuel cells. 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
MOBILITY IN ITALY The ANFIA Dossier on passenger transport.
MERCEDES The eCitaro also in the 18-meter version.
TORSUS A 4x4 minibus for off-road.
ALTERNATIVE BUSES They are increasing less than expected.
*** 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 - September 2020
THE LION’S CITY EL IN MUNICH
IRIZAR IE TRAM IN THE BASQUE COUNTRY
he first of 13 Irizar ie trams arrived in Vitoria-Gasteiz, in he electric bus by MAN has arrived in the German city T where tests have started in real conditions on the “Mu- Tthe Basque Country, Spain. In the coming months the 12-m seumslinie 100”, the urban line operated by the transport com- vehicle will carry out tests without passengers along the TUVISA
pany Münchner Verkehrsgesellschachaft (MVG). The version of the Lion’s City E is the 12-meter, three-door version with a capacity of 88 passengers and a range of 270 km in favorable conditions. Five vehicles are used on the route between the Hauptbahnhof and Ostbahnhof stations. Others have been ordered and are expected to arrive in Monaco by the end of the year. By 2021, the MVG electric bus fleet will include at least 26 electric vehicles. As part of the electric mobility project, MAN is planning numerous tests, in conditions of real use, to test the product and gain experience.
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THE eCITARO FOR EGENBERGER
Line 2 route, where it will go into service in mid-2021 within the BEI high-capacity public transport system. The new system will have a 10 km route with 23 new stops in each direction. The batch includes seven 18 metre articulated buses and six 12 metre ones. The 12-metre Irizar ie tram is fitted with 3 doors and 22 passenger seats. The engine (180 kW) is powered by lithium-ion batteries, which were also developed and manufactured by Irizar e-mobility at their facilities in Aduna, Gipuzkoa. The vehicles will be charged in-route in 4 minutes using interoperable ultra-fast charging stations. Irizar e-mobility collaborated with the construction firm Yarritu and LKS, who are doing engineering work, civil construction, signage and communications, on the project.
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DOUBLE-DECKER ELECTRIC BUSES
he public transport company Egenberger based in T Thierhaupten, close to Augsburg, Germany, has taken delivery of two fully electric driven Mercedes-Benz
eCitaros. The two buses have a battery capacity of 292 kWh. They are fitted with Inter Star Eco intercity seats with leather headrests, folding ramps on both doors, three TFT monitors and numerous USB ports and a WiFi router for internet access. The safety equipment on both the eCitaro buses includes the Preventive Brake Assist, Sideguard Assist, video monitoring of the passenger compartment and a pedestrian bell. Egenberger is family-run bus company in the third generation. For the most part the fleet with more than 70 buses comprises Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
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CAETANO e-BUSES IN LONDON
YD ADL has supplied the first of 29 Enviro400EV B double deckers to National Express West Midlands. The first 19 of these zero-emission buses have now en-
tered service in Birmingham while the 10 further vehicles will be introduced in Coventry this autumn. The investment has been supported with a £3 million grant from the UK Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles. The 10.9-m buses are charged entirely by renewable energy and utilise a stationery battery system to balance the load on the electricity grid. They are built to National Express’s Platinum standard, offering extra legroom for the 65 seated passengers as well as USB chargers, free wi-fi and other amenities. An advanced heat pump system ensures that saloon heating power is supplied efficiently from the main batteries without undue impact on operational range.
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SOLARIS e-BUSES IN GERMANY
he transport operator Abellio London has converted two T bus routes in London to full electric operation. The vehiOmnibus-Betriebs-GmbH based in Würzburg, cles recently put into service are 34 Caetano e.City Gold zero NGV opted for the first time for electric buses choemission buses from CaetanoBus. These are the first electric osing the Solaris Urbino 12 bus model. Two units have been
buses sold by the Portuguese manufacturer in the United Kingdom, a strategic market where it has been supplying buses for over 50 years. The 10.7m vehicles are fitted with a camera monitoring systems instead of the traditional wing mirrors, Intelligent Speed Assist, Acoustic Vehicle Alert System and a revised front design to improve pedestrian and vulnerable road user safety. The 100% electric urban bus includes zero emission heating. Caetano is also providing a maintenance contract as part of the support package for Abellio, as well as fully supporting local delivery of a full aftercare support and spare parts to all Caetano vehicles sold in UK.  
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recently delivered in addition to the charging infrastructure, that is two stationary chargers with a maximum power of 150 kW and a mobile charger of 50 kW. The vehicles have an electric axle with two traction motors integrated (125 kW each). The power used will be stored in a set of Solaris High Energy batteries with a total capacity of 300 kWh. On board there is a room for 70 passengers, 38 of which are seated. The electric buses for Würzburg will contain a monitoring system, internal LED lighting, ramps, a passenger information system, air-conditioning, USB chargers and an electric heating system. Read the complete news on: https://bustocoach.com/en/
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FLASH NEWS
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
NEOPLAN TOURLINER IN HUNGARY
VDL MIDI ON THE ISLAND OF CYPRUS
he first four of the 65 VDL buses commissioned by CPT, he brand model from the Tourliner range has been ordeT red in 29 units by the Hungarian public transport com- Tthe public transport company operating in the districts of pany Volánbusz Zrt. This is the fourth time in four years that Nicosia and Larnaca, rrived in Cyprus. They are VDL MidCi-
the company has placed an order for this model: the vehicles amount to 133 (43 commisioned last year, 31 in 2018 and 30 in 2017). The 29 new coaches are due to be delivered this summer and will then go into operation throughout Hungary. They are powered by a D26 engine with 470 hp (346 kW), which meets the requirements of the Euro 6d emissions standard. They are fitted with an air conditioning unit, WiFi system, USB charging points and 230 volt sockets. The 2-axle premium coaches can seat 49 passengers and each seat comes with a seat belt and a footrest. The safety systems include the Electronic Stability Program ESP, the Anti-slip Control System ASR, the Lane Guard System and the Emergency Brake Assist EBA.
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AWARED IN SLOVENIA
ty and are part of an order for 15 units plus another 50 units from the VDL MidEuro range. The former are compact size vehicles for pubic transport with a low-floor multifunctional section. The CTP requested them with 14 seats plus 11 standing and a wheelchair seat with relative ramp. The buses are fitted with USB sockets, a ticket console next to the driver and a double door no less than 1,240 mm wide. The VDL MidEuro is a model aimed at the luxury passengers transport segment. An ideal vehicle for traveling in small groups.
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THE FIAA HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO 2021 he International bus&coach fair (FIAA) of Madrid has T been rescheduled again due to the COVID-19 situation and it will be held in March 2021.
ransport & Logistika, the leading trade magazine in SloT venia, has announced that the new Scania Citywide is the Slovenian Bus of the Year. This model was launched at
Busworld 2019 and the first orders will be delivered early in 2021. Initially, readers of the magazines Transport & Logistika and Mehanik in voznik cast their votes among candidates. A jury of expert journalists subsequently evaluated candidates before deciding on the winner. Transport & Logistika notes that “Scania with its new Citywide range continues to expand its already wide range of vehicles to even more alternatives. “
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FULLY AUTONOMOUS
he French manufacturer of autonomous vehicles Navya T has announced the achievement of the ‘level 4’ of the Autonomous Shuttle Evo, the automatic shuttle in service since
June 22 at the National Sport Shooting Center in Châteauroux, France. Level 4 corresponds to a real autonomy in which there is no safety operator on board the vehicle. Launched in collaboration with the Keolis carrier, the service allows athletes and visitors to move from the parking to the reception area. The 1.5 kilometer route is covered at a maximum speed of 18 km per hour. The Autonomous Shuttle Evo is the result of six years of experimentation and nearly 200 Navya uses worldwide, as the manufacturer underlines.
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This is a precautionary decision by the organizing committee “given the complicated scenario that this sector is going through”, underlines the president of the Committee Rafael Barbadillo. «It’s one of the hardest hit by the current crisis and the consequent travel difficulties. Next year we expect to return to normality, with the freedom of movement that will allow visitors to come to the fair from other countries, further strengthening the international character of the event.”
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DAIMLER BUSES IN SWITZERLAND
aimler Buses inaugurated one of the major competenD ce centers for Mercedes-Benz and Setra buses. It is the BusWorld Home (BWH) in Winterthur, in the Canton of Zu-
rich, Switzerland. Here EvoBus Schweiz AG (Swiss branch of the German brand) now concentrates all its know-how. The newly built site brings together sales departments (new and used vehicles), administration and services on an area of 20,000 square meters. The staff has 97 people. The workshop offers 28 spaces for buses, from minibuses to the 4-meter Setra double decker coach or the Mercedes-Benz CapaCity bus with its 21 meters in length. In the specialized workshop and the electric one, bodywork repairs and painting are carried out, there is also a diagnostic track and various vehicle washing systems. Whether it’s local or regional customers or buses in transit, this comprehensive service, offered under the OmniIplus service brand, is unique in Switzerland. The BWH Winterthur is also ready for electromobility. Read the complete news on: https://bustocoach.com/en/
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BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
AN ALREADY ANNOUNCED CRISIS
EU NEW REGISTRATIONS IN THE FIRST HALF 2020 >3.5 t (source ACEA)
Country
June 2020
June 2019
D% Jun. 2020/19
Jan-Jun 2020
Jan-Jun 2019
D% Jan-Jun 2020-2019
AUSTRIA
69
128
-46.1%
350
562
-37.7%
BELGIUM
107
202
-47%
414
763
-45.7%
11
44
-75%
86
204
-57.8%
CROATIA
0
30
-100%
26
175
-85.1%
CYPRUS
96
3
3100%
106
16
562.5%
CZECH REPUBLIC
122
159
-23.3%
686
651
5.4%
DENMARK
14
85
-83.5%
144
340
-57.6%
ESTONIA
0
79
-100%
76
155
-51%
BULGARIA
Bus registrations have decreased by one third in Europe. This is the sad evaluation of the first half of 2020, which has been marked by the pandemic
M
inus 35%. This is how the first half of the year has ended for the bus sector within the European Union. The pandemic has hit hard everywhere but the transport sector is among the worst. Registrations of buses with a gvw over 3.5 tons decreased from 19,280 to 12,508 in the period between January and June 2020 (ACEA source). All 27 EU countries recorded a double-digit decrease, in some cases even very heavy, with the sole exception of Cyprus. Among the four main markets, the Spanish one is suffering the most with registrations decreasing by 52% compared to the first half of 2019.
Decreases are lower in France (-18.9%), Germany (-19.2%) and Italy (-21.3%) where the contraction of city buses, intercity buses, coaches and school buses is balanced by the performance of minibuses that increased by 14.6% (ANFIA data). In Eastern Europe, the most affected countries are Croatia (-85.1%), Romania (-80%) and Slovenia (-62.5%). New registrations in Ireland have also decreased sharply (-70.2%), while in the nearby United Kingdom, now officially outside the European Union, the decrease is about 34 %. The performance of the markets in the EFTA free trade area was also negative, first of all ITALIAN BUS MARKET OVER 3.5 t Iceland (-81.6%), followed Buses type Jan-June Jan-June D% by Norway (-35%) and 2020 2019 Switzerland (-28.6%). The only consolation is Citybus 351 563 -37.7% that, analysing the data Intercity 314 322 -2.5% month by month, there are a few signs of recovery. In Coach 433 562 -23.0% fact, the peak of -67% reMinibus 337 294 14.6% corded in the EU in April, was followed by reduced Schoolbus 130 247 -47.4% decreases of -56.5% in May TOTAL 1,565 1,988 -21.3% and -41.5% in June.
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FINLAND
13
61
-78.7%
114
184
-38%
FRANCE
602
672
-10.4%
2,324
2,865
-18.9%
GERMANy
455
636
-28.5%
2,627
3,253
-19.2%
GREECE
19
46
-58.7%
144
267
-46.1%
HUNGARY
25
29
-13.8%
307
340
-9.7%
IRELAND
35
51
-31.4%
98
329
-70.2%
ITALy
170
363
-53.2%
1,565
1,988
-21.3%
LATVIA
6
11
-45.5%
34
53
-35.8%
LITHUANIA
1
37
-97.3%
85
245
-65.3%
LUXEMBURG
13
10
30%
129
162
-20.4%
NETHERLAND
19
98
-80.6%
281
401
-29.9%
POLAND
139
396
64.9%
692
1,538
-55%
PORTUGAL
28
99
-71.7%
252
432
-41.7%
ROMANIA
62
197
-68.5%
294
1,470
-80%
SLOVAKIA
33
16
106.3%
123
146
-15.8%
SLOVENIA
7
11
-36.4%
30
80
-62.5%
138
222
-37.8%
871
1,825
-52.3%
SPAIN SWEDEN EUROPEAN UNION
236
449
47.4%
650
836
-22.2%
2,420
4,134
-41.5%
12,508
19,280
-35.1%
ICELAND
0
3
-100%
7
38
-81.6%
NORWAY
383
695
-44.9%
729
1,121
-35%
SWITZERLAND
42
62
-32.2%
200
280
-28.6%
EFTA
425
760
-44.1%
936
1,439
-35%
UNITED KINGDOM
175
606
-71.1%
2,078
3,167
-34.4%
3,020
5,500
-45.1%
15,522
23,886
-35%
EU+EFTA+UK
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
THE IBE -RIMINI IS CONFERMED FOR OCTOBER The 2020 edition of the International Bus Expo (IBE) is moved up to October 14-16 at the same time of the TTG fair for tourism in Rimini, Italy ost of the European showcases scheduM led for this fall have been canceled or postponed due to the protracted Covid-19 pandemic: the IAA in Hanover will skip completely this year and has been postponed directly to 2022, the FIAA in Madrid has been postponed to March 2021 as well as the Warsaw Bus and the Euro Bus Expo (EBE) in Birmingham rescheduled for October 2021. The International Bus Expo (IBE) in Rimini, Italy, is instead confirmed for 2020. The only change announced by the organizers is the advance to 1416 October of the event, originally scheduled for October 22-24. The show will therefore take place simultaneously with the TTG Travel Experience, the B2B expo fair four tourism in Italy, thus easing the harmonization of calendars and synergies of buyers. As all the events organized by the Italian Exhibition Group, IBE 2020 will also take
place according to the #safebusiness protocol which, starting with transfers from the hotel to the fair, to individual safety devices, to constant disinfection of the environments, to dematerialized access tickets, to ‘skip-thequeue’ apps for catering, up to the cloakroom with automatic cycle, “will allow the participation in the Show in complete safety”, the organizers want to underline. As for the program of conferences, workshops and seminars, there are three macro areas on the agenda: technology and innovation, sustainability and decarbonisation with alternative power supplies and, finally, the impact of Covid-19 on supply chains and local public transport. It will take place as always at the Rimini Exhibition Center. For more information on the 9th edition of the IBE, please refer to the official website https://www.internationalbus expo.it Other articles about International events: https://bustocoach.com/en/event-ads/
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BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
EU’S ENERGY STRATEGY
Integration of energy and hydrogen systems are included into the goals of the European Commission. Concrete policies and measures to be proposed at EU level he European Commission has adopted the T EU’s strategy for the integration of energy and hydrogen systems. The goal is to propo-
se concrete policy and legislative measures at EU level “to gradually shape a new integrated energy system in compliance with the different starting points of Member States”. As the European Green Agreement highlighted the need to step up the roll-out of charging infrastructure, the European Commission states this should start with the goal of getting at least one million publicly accessible charging and refueling points by 2025. The Commission claims that it will undertake further mapping of funding opportunities and regulatory initiatives for the roll-out of charging infrastructure. The focus will be on smart and vehicle-togrid (V2G) charging services. The expectation is that by 2050 electric vehi-
cles will be able to provide up to 20% of the required flexibility on a daily basis. According to the European Commission, “the use of hydrogen in transport should be used where electrification is not possible, such as local city buses, commercial fleets (es. taxis) or specific parts of the rail network”. This should take place in the first phase of the strategy. For public and commercial transport fleets, “hydrogen stations can easily be supplied by regional or local electrolysers, but their deployment will need to be built on a clear analysis of fleet demand and different requirements for light- and heavy-duty vehicles”. “Hydrogen fuel cells”, the Commission concludes, “should be further encouraged in heavy-duty road vehicles, including coaches, special purpose vehicles and long-haul road freight, given their high CO2 emissions”.
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ONLY E-BUSES FROM 2021
The six largest cities in Denmark are committed themselves to purchase only zero-emission buses starting from the next year
the basis of the Climate CoopeON ration Agreement recently signed with the Ministry of Transport, Denmark’s
six largest cities have now committed themselves to buy only zero-emission buses. So, starting from 2021, the cities of Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, Aalborg, Vejle and Frederiksberg will only be supplied with electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. According to the Danish Ministry of Transport, public bus transport in these cities accounts for about a quarter of all the country’s local public transport. Of the 3,330 city buses currently operating in Denmark, about 800 circulate in Copenhagen, Aarhus, Odense, Aalborg, Vejle and Frederiksberg. “It is therefore quite natural that they should be the driving force behind the transformation of national public transport,” said the Danish
Transport Minister Benny Engelbrecht on the agreement. Engelbrecht hopes that other cities will join the initiative. However, Copenhagen had already moved in this direction by phasing out diesel city buses. Even before this agreement, it had already committed together with eleven other cities from the C40 city network to order only purely electric city buses from 2025. In addition to this, the Danish capital, like the city of Odense, has already procured a significant number of battery-electric buses, which are currently in operation. The delivery of the first hydrogen buses fitted with fuel cells was already announced in March and these vehicles are also gradually starting operation on the lines of the Danish capital.
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BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
FUEL CELL: DAIMLER IS WORKING
Know-how and investments are growing with Daimler Truck Fuel Cell GmbH & Co. KG which is working on future series production aimler Truck AG is consistently carrying D out activities for the start of fuel cell series production with Daimler Truck Fuel Cell
GmbH & Co. KG. Over the past decade, Daimler experts have built up extensive know-how and developed production methods and processes. In close collaboration with colleagues in Vancouver, Canada, they are transferring this experience to the direct preliminary stage of future series production. Investments are being made in new state-ofthe-art facilities that cover every single process stage of fuel cell production: from membrane coating and stack manufacturing to the production of fuel cell units. ”We are pursuing the vision of the CO2 neutral transportation of the future. The hydrogen-based fuel cell is a key technology of strategic importance in this context, ” said Martin Daum of Daimler Truck AG. “We are now consistently following the path towards series production of fuel cells and we are doing absolutely pionee-
ring work, and this goes beyond the automotive industry. We will invest a very substantial sum in the next few years to achieve this goal “. In April this year, Daimler Truck concluded a preliminary, non-binding agreement with the Volvo Group to establish a new joint venture for the development and marketing of fuel cell systems to be used in heavy-duty commercial vehicles and other applications. The joint venture will draw upon expertise from both Daimler Truck and the Volvo Group. The production of fuel cell systems is also to be included in the joint venture. In the second half of this decade, the two partners plan to offer heavy-duty fuel cell commercial vehicles and heavy-duty long-distance haulage from series production. In order to facilitate the joint venture, Daimler Truck is combining all group-wide activities for fuel cells into the newly established subsidiary Daimler Truck Fuel Cell GmbH & Co. KG. This also includes the activities of Mercedes-Benz Fuel Cell GmbH. Other articles about Daimler Buses: https://bustocoach.com/en/costruttore/evobus-italia-spa/
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COMPONENTS ON LINE For a comprehensive list of Suppliers of bus components in Italy and in Europe visit: www.bustocoach.com/en
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/
HIGH TECH STORE
BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
HITACHI / ABB
he ‘Grid-eMotion Fleet’, an innovative charging system for T electric vehicle fleets developed by the Hitachi ABB Power Grids joint venture, was launched last july via the web. It is a
complete “grid-to-plug” solution that allows more charging power with a smaller footprint thanks to standard containers that integrate the grid connection and charging systems all together. Grid-eMotion Fleet uses DC technology and can connect to any type of power network, removing the complexities of integrating AC-DC chargers into a system. Compared to a conventional connection to the AC grid, this solution brings a 60% reduction in the space required for large-scale electric vehicle fleet charging, while depot cabling is reduced by 40%. The system leverages Hitachi ABB Power Grids’ e-mesh EMS smart energy management solution to manage and improve the entire charging infrastructure, calculate bus energy consumption, and design, plan and deliver effective services for passengers. Digital analysis monitors battery lifespan and route data, traffic simulation and depot control to ensure the optimization of efficient power use, energy storage and overnight charging. Pilot projects are underway in Geneva (Switzerland), France and Brisbane, Australia. «The launch of Grid-eMotion Fleet is a game-changer for anyone managing public transport and commercial electric vehicle fleets», says Niklas Persson, Managing Director of the Grid Integration business unit at Hitachi ABB Power Grids. «GrideMotion Fleet offers unprecedented scalability, space savings and operational efficiency. The solution will accelerate the global uptake of safe, sustainable and smart mobility, while contributing to cleaner air and a better quality of life for today’s and future generations».
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FPT INDUSTRIAL
MASATS
production of engines at the Chongqing plant, compared to the record of the previous month. Sales in the heavy-duty commercial market in the first quarter of 2020 showed a V-curve with record figures in January. In April, when the effects of COVID-19 began to decrease, the market started to recover, favoring a marked recovery in production and sales. "When production was resumed, it was therefore possible to implement production strategies specifically designed to respond to the increase in orders within the plant’s ‘World Class Manufacturing’ management system,” says Federico Gaiazzi, SFH General Manager. In Chongqing, SFH has four cylinder head production lines and two assembly production lines.
tured by the Spanish Masats was installed on some 15-meter Irizar i8 buses purchased by Lux Express, an operator with a strong presence in Estonia and the Baltic countries. The delicate movement of the door, which is completely horizontal and requires no wedges or tie rods, offers a perfect seal and eliminates all driving noises and improves driver and passenger comfort. «The anti-vandalism system of the doors», specifies the Iberian manufacturer, «has improved MTBF, that is the time between failures, as well as increased the reliability and availability of the vehicle».
he first units of the ew record in the production of FPT Industrial engines in N China. In May, the Chinese joint venture SFH (SAIC Fiat TSwyncro outward opeHongyan Powertrain Co Ltd) recorded a 6% increase in the ning door system manufac-
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BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
HIGH TECH STORE - ANTIVIRUS
BIOGUARD
VOLVO BUSES
and panel cover material featuring a long-lasting germicidal coating. «Our Bioguard fabrics fight off 99.9% of unwanted DNA, viruses and bacteria» states Buvetex. «The coating eliminates all germs within 10 minutes of contact time. The active ingredients of Swiss production adhere to their membranes and generate an electrostatic attraction. This ionisation process deactivates the pathogens, as their internal DNA is penetrated through the membrane and destroyed». Bioguard is Covid-19 certified. The manufacturer also states that «Bioguard contains only active ingredients which are harmless to human health. There is no use of nanoparticles, silver salts and heavy metals. In addition to this, exposure to bleach and alcohol is eliminated and with it any possible damages to fabrics that may result».
and vehicles in light of the recent Covid-19 pandemic, Volvo Buses offers a range of solutions and products for its vehicles, both old and new models. For continuous disinfection, the ECO3 device continuously produces ozone gas that cleans the air and reduces particles and organic substances on all surfaces with which it comes into contact, resulting in widespread disinfection of the bus interior. Retrofit kit is available and ECO3 has been tested and validated by the independent SGS agency. For the safety of the driver, the Swedish manufacturer offers partitions that reduce contact with the drivers and therefore minimise the risk of contagion. They are transparent and made of easy-to-clean materials and manufactured according to ECE 43 standards. The disinfecting box with an ozone generator allows complete disinfection of the vehicle. The cleaning, which is carried out when the vehicle is empty, takes 20 minutes. The power supply is 230 V and it is easy to transport with its compact dimensions (29 × 15 × 23 cm). The package also includes hand disinfecting fluid dispensers. They are refillable, work with any type of sanitiser and are available in both manual and automatic models.
better disinfection and safety of bus and coach inteith the ‘Clean & Care’ program, FIt isorriors, the Belgian company Buvetex launches Bioguard. Win addition to increasing the a collection of upholstery fabrics for seats, curtains safety of coach drivers, passengers
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SETRA order to protect drivers, Daimler Buses has developed a full-height door as a retrofit solution for the Mercedes-Benz Citaro city bus in the version with single safety glass or, as a new option, in polycarbonate. The latter is now also available for the Setra LE intercity buses (another version for the Mercedes Intouro is still underway). Regardless of whether they are made of real glass or polycarbonate, the partitions are available either sealed or partially open to enable ticketing. This professional solution ensures an unobstructed vision of the exterior mirrors through the windscreen and of the interior rearview mirror. «Over 2,000 retrofit doors have been commissioned for Mercedes-Benz city buses. Several hundred of these are already in operation and the number is increasing every day», stated Daimler Buses.
IN
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HISPACOLD ispacold Eco3 is a bus air purifier able to neutralise potentially H harmful microbes. Through air ionization, it maintains the natural balance of positive and negative ions in the air, boosting it with
measured amounts of ozone. It is completely harmless to passengers as ozone is generated in amounts below the recommended SMO environmental levels (<0.05 ppm). The ozone released by eco3 acts as a disinfectant, also removing bad smells. The eco3 air purifier is mounted inside the air conditioning unit and can be installed both in vehicles equipped with Hispacold air conditioning systems and in those using other brands. Uniquely designed to perform best when passengers are on board and when the vehicle is running, eco3 has been extensively tested on the market with almost 5,000 units in operation in more than 20 countries.
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BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
he Polish manufacturer has developed a T series of solutions for the safety of passengers and drivers both on vehicles which
HIGH TECH STORE - ANTIVIRUS
SOLARIS
MAN TRUCK & BUS
have been already delivered and on those still to be commissioned and produced. The hands-free door opening/closing system is made possible by barrier sensors that detect people who want to get on or off the bus. The drivers, acting from their dashboard, allow the automatical activation of the doors, without the passengers having to press the button to stop. The hand sanitizer dispensers can be installed on the rails in the vehicle. The dispenser can perform 3,000 operations, it is easy to use and consumes just little power. To minimise direct contact, buses can be equipped with an intercom, i.e. a device for voice communication between passengers and driver. The sealed driver’s cabs provide separate air conditioning and ventilation systems that minimise the possibility of air circulation inside the passenger compartment. The driver may have a separate entrance/exit which allows to minimise direct contact with other travelers.
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GAZ
MARCOPOLO
he Russian Gor’kovskij avtomobil’nyj zavod (GAZ) has he adoption of technologies that will make transport safer T taken steps since the beginning of the pandemic with an Tand more sustainable is growing rapidly in Latin America. offer of anti-virus products sent to partners and customers After Argentina, Chile also concluded an agreement for the across 47 countries around the world. A wide range of vehicles were supplied, such as ambulances on GAZelle Next chassis with various equipment, mobile test labs, disinfection vehicles on medium-duty truck platforms with a Russian superstructure. Furthermore, vehicle chassis are offered and local distributors are supported to install superstructures, if this is what the end customer needs. The company also says it is looking forward to a set of anti-virus options for buses developed by its Engineering Center.
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supply of vehicles with Marcopolo BioSafe solutions for the transport of workers of a mining company. The client is the Andimar company (JM group) which purchased 13 Marcopolo Paradiso New G7 1800 double-decker buses. Delivered in July, the vehicles feature a light UV-C disinfection system in the bathroom, antimicrobial curtains, hand disinfectant dispensers at the access door and on the stairs to the upper floor. The vehicles feature 43 seats equipped with leg rests, individual monitors, two cockpit fridges and devices for heating food and liquids.
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rotective barriers for bus drivers. This is what MAN P Truck & Bus offers on board its city buses, intercity buses and coaches. The partition screen is made of shat-
ter-proof polycarbonate and installed with an aluminum section, while the bottom panel is made of satin glass. For the new generation of MAN Lion’s City, the protective screen can either be installed as a factory-fit or as a retrofit. Customers can choose between a completely sealed version or with a slot for ticketing. «Driver safety is one of our main priorities. Drivers play an important role for our company because they keep the passenger transport system running day after day» says Heinz Kiess of MAN Truck & Bus. «The ceiling-high screen keeps the driver’s cab completely separate from the passenger area, protecting both drivers and passengers». «Naturally», adds Kies, «the specially developed hygienic-protective barriers also meet all the legal requirements and never impair the driver’s vision». The first retrofits have already been completed at the MAN Bus Modification Center in Plauen, Germany, including a solution for the Lion’s Coach of the German football club VfL Wolfsburg. MAN has also retrofitted protective screens to the Lion’s City E used for a trial in real use conditions by the Hamburg transport operators Hamburger Hochbahn AG and Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg- Holstein GmbH (VHH).
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BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
ast June, ANFIA (National Association L of Automotive Industry) published a substantial Dossier on ‘Passenger Transport
and Mobility’ in Italy, focused on collective bus transport. In short, it is a set of information and data on mobility and passenger transport, updated to December 2019. It is useful to understand the evolution and the critical points in order to introduce the changes, resulting from the restrictive measures adopted to face the Covid-19 pandemic. First of all, the Dossier frames the Italian scenario through some territorial, environmental, economic and social macro indicators, which are useful in defining the demand and supply of people’s mobility. As for the territory, Italy is divided into 7,954 Municipalities and 107 supra-municipal territorial units as follows: 14 metropolitan cities, 83 provinces, 6 free consortia of municipalities and 4 non-administrative units, which correspond to the former provinces of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region. There are twenty Regions, of which five have a special status. They can be grouped into geographical divisions: North-West, North-East, Center and South, which includes South and the Islands. The Regions are very different both in terms
MOBILITY SHOULD BE RETHOUGHT
The ANFIA Dossier on ‘Passenger Transport and Mobility’ in Italy focuses on collective bus transport. This is the starting point to identify the necessary interventions of surface and population. The largest, with an area exceeding 25 thousand square kilometers, are Sicily and Piedmont, followed by Sardinia, Lombardy, Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna with over 20 thousand square
TOTAL INTERNAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC-KM % in 2018 Motorcycles and mopeds 3.4%
Bus lines (Urban and extra-urban) 3.1%
TOTAL INTERNAL PASSENGER TRAFFIC (bln passengers per km) 2015 2016 2017 2018
Tramways, subways, funiculars 0.7%
Railway 5.8% Cars 76.5%
Others 20.0%
Air navigation 2.2%
Bus lines (national, rental, private) 7.8%
kilometers. Among these, Lombardy is the most populous, with 10,060,574 inhabitants, followed by Lazio and Campania, which, on a territorial surface of 17,232 and 13,671 square kilometers respectively, have over
5.8 million inhabitants. In Italy, small municipalities outnumber: as of 31 December 2018, 67.7% of Italian municipalities displayed a low level of urbanization and gather just 24% of the population on a territorial extension of 72.5%. 28.9% of municipalities displayed an average level of urbanization, on a territorial extension of 22.7% and gather 42.6% of the total population. The highly urbanized municipalities are instead only 3.4%, but 33.4% of the total population lives there on a territorial extension of 4.8%. The Regions where the percentage of the population living in areas with a high level of urbanization exceeds 50% are in order: Campania (59.6%), Lazio and Liguria (50.7%); followed by Lombardy, EmiliaRomagna and Umbria, with percentages ranging from 30 to just over 40%. The Regions with the highest population concentration in areas with a medium level of urbanization are Veneto (61.5%), Marche
Maritime and inland navigation 0.4%
Fixed installations 52.7 Extra-urban collective transport 91.6 - bus lines and trolleybuses 17.8 - national bus lines, rental, private 73.8 Urban collective transport 17.8 - buses and trolleybuses 11.0 - tramways 1.3 - subways 5.5 - funiculars 0.0 Maritime and inland navigation 3.6 Air navigation 17.8 Private road transport 717.7 - cars 676.4 - motorcycles and mopeds 41.3 TOTAL 901.1
53.0 54 54.6 92.0 91.1 91.7 17.5 17.2 17.8 73.8 73.9 74.0 17.8 18.6 18.1 11.0 11.6 11.2 1.4 1.4 1.4 5.4 5.6 5.5 0.0 0.0 0.2 3.5 3.8 3.9 18.6 19.8 21.0 744.9 782.8 755.1 704.5 744.9 722.9 40.4 37.9 32.2 929.2 970.1 944.4
Source: Anfia Dossier. The sums may not coincide with the totals due to rounding.
(55.2%) and Puglia (51.7%). Nine Capitals of Regions (Turin, Genoa, Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Bari and Palermo) have the largest population size. As for transport demand, the Anfia Dossier drafts a fluctuating trend in the last thirty years which has led, in 2018, to the same level it had reached in 2010. Demand is increasingly supplied by individual road transport (cars and motorcycles), which in terms of increase and modal share (about 80% in 2018) continues to predominate compared to other transport modes. In 2018, the total internal passenger traffic in Italy amounted to 944.4 billion passengers per km, that is 3% less than in 2017 (record level), but almost 13% more than in 2013. 91% of the passenger traffic is carried out by road, 6.5% by rail, 2.2% by air and 0.4% by ship. 80% of traffic is carried out by private transport (76.5% if we take into account only cars, whose traffic increased by 16.5% compared to 2013, but decreased by 3% compared to 2017). 9.7% is carried out by extra-urban collective transport (buses and trolleybuses) and 1.9% by urban transport (buses, trolleybuses, trams, metro and funiculars). In order to cope with the demand for passenger transport, the data updated to 31 December 2019 frame a vehicle fleet made up of 39,545,232 cars, 100,149 buses and 6,896,048 motorcycles. The density of cars is 656 per 1,000 inhabitants. The bus supply is 17 for every 10,000 inhabitants, a density that decreases to 7.8 for LPT buses. The consistency of the vehicle fleet (all vehicle categories) over the last ten years (2010-2019) has increased by 7.7%, with a peak in the motorcycle category (+ 9.4%); cars increased by 7.6%, while buses increased by only 0.3%. From these numbers, the authors of the Anfia Dossier affirm that “private transport causes problems of traffic congestion and environmental pollution (atmospheric and acoustic), as well as occupation of public land and the collective public transport of passengers represents a fundamental solution. The competitiveness, growth and live-
TRANSPORT MODES IN % 2000 2008 2013 2016 2017 2018
On foot or by bike 25.1 21.1 16.9 20.4 27.6 27.1 Motorized, of which: 74.9 78.9 83.1 79.6 72.4 72.9 - motorcycles or mopeds 7.2 5.7 3.7 3.7 4.2 4.2 - private vehicles 80.0 81.4 82.7 82.8 81.6 81.5 - public transport 12.8 12.9 13.6 13.4 14.2 14.2
Source: Anfia Dossier. Isfort, “Audimob” observatory on mobility.
PENETRATION RATE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORT
(% share of journeys made with collective vehicles on the total of motorized vehicles)
.
12.8
12.4 11.5
12.1
13.5
12.9
14.3
14.1
14.6
14.2
13.6
14.2
13.4 11.7
11.6
Source: Anfia Dossier. Isfort, “Audimob” observatory on mobility
INDICATORS OF THE LOCAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT OFFER 2005 2010 2015 2016 2017 2018*
Urban service Buses used 18,974 19,220 18,919 18,764 18,463 18,297 Seats-km offered (mln) 71,663 63,456 60,130 58,691 56,933 56,420 Extra-urban service Buses used 26,717 27,070 27,544 26,337 26,276 26,039 Seats-km offered (mln) 70,356 73,623 70,746 67,822 66,163 65,567 Total Buses used 45,691 46,290 46,463 45,101 44,739 44,336 Seats-km offered (mln) 142,019 137,079 130,876 126,513 123,096 121,987
(*) Evalutation
Source: Anfia Dossier. Isfort, Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.
ability of metropolitan cities depend heavily on the efficiency of local public transport, which we can consider as the key to ensuring sustainable and inclusive mobility.
Many European cities have a larger offer of public transport on rail and road (metro, tramways, light rail, buses) than that of our cities, including Milan, which is the Italian
city with the highest overall and per capita expenditure for LPT services and infrastructure”. Compared to other European countries, Italy has a scarce subway network, although this is a fundamental means of transport to move around in large cities in an economic and environmentally friendly way. There are seven Italian cities that offer this service: Milan, Rome, Naples, Turin, Genoa, Brescia and Catania, altogether carry over 2.7 million users per day, of which 1.37 million users per day are carried in the city of Milan alone. Italy has a total of 239.6 km of metro lines, far from the United Kingdom (over 672 km), Germany (648.3), Spain (609.7) and France (360). Going back to the analysis of journeys in Italy, carried out by Isfor through the Audimob Observatory, it comes to light that, in 2018, the number of daily trips made by people (102.6 million) started to increase again after a few years of decline. On average, each person made 2.5 trips per day. The same trend also characterized the total number of km traveled (1,115.4 million), the average distance per capita traveled in one day (28.3 km) and the average time per capita dedicated to travel (58 minutes). The importance of urban mobility has been instead constant over the years, meant as the share of journeys with origin and destination within the municipal perimeter, which in 2018 increased to 71.7%. The average length of the journeys in the urban area is 4.3 km, while including journeys in general, the average length is 11.3 km. One third of the total journeys concerns those up to 2 km, while this percentage rises to 76.5% if we consider those up to 10 km. Journeys over 50 km represent less than 3% of the total. Short-range mobility (3 out of 4 trips) is mainly carried out on foot and by bicycle. Cars remain by a long shot the favourite means of transport and represent 59.1% of the total, a share that increases to 81.5% if we consider only motorized travel. 22.9% of journeys are made on foot, 4.2% by bicycle, 3.1% by motorbike, 7% by public transport and 3.7% by a combination of means. 27.1% of journeys are made on foot and
by bicycle. Active mobility recorded an increase of 3.3% compared to 2017 and an increase of 3.4% compared to 2008, while private transport recorded an increase of 6 % in 2018 compared to 2017 and a decrease of 36.6% compared to 2008, while public transport recorded an increase of 1.6% in 2018 compared to 2017 and a decrease of 28% compared to 2008. On the other hand, considering the number of kilometers traveled per passenger, 71% are made with private transport (cars and motorcycles), 23.5% by public transport and 5.2% on foot or by bicycle. The modal split changes between urban mobility and extra-urban mobility, due to the absence of out-of-the-ordinary non-motorized journeys. At urban level, journeys made on foot are 31.3% and those by bike 5.6%, journeys by car and motorbike are 53.8% and those made by public transport 9.3%. At extra-urban level, journeys made on foot and by bike are together 2.4%, while trips by cars and motorcycles rise to 86% and those made by public transport rise to 11.7%. In 2018, the so-called “sustainable” mobility, which includes travel by public transport, on foot or by bicycle, accounted for 37.1% of total journeys, while it was 37.2%
BUS REGISTRATIONS IN ITALY
he second chapter of the AnT fia Dossier focuses on the bus market in Italy. In addition
which account for 7.3% of the market. The registrations of diesel hybrid buses have increased 8.5 times compared to 2018, accounting for 5.6% of the market (they were 0.6% in 2018, with only 29 registrations).
ternatively powered buses were sold (+ 38%), representing 15% of the total. The most used alternative fuel over the years is natural gas, but in 2019 the hybrid electric/diesel drive is gaining ground.
to reporting data of registrations updated to 2019 (essentially similar to what we reported in the BusToCoach Magazine in March 2020), it is of particular 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 interest the bearing of alterna- Powering tively powered buses. They are Diesel 2,248 - 94.4% 2,763 - 96.3% 3,249 - 94.8% 4,031 - 89.7% 3,716 - 85.3% increasing but still at very low 34 - 1.4% 3 - 0.1% 28 - 0.8% 42 - 0.9% 63 - 1.4% levels, especially compared to Electric/Hydrogen GNL 0 0 0 0 15 - 0.3% electric buses. CNG 99 - 4.2% 103 - 3.6% 128 - 3.7% 393 - 8.7% 318 - 7.3% 85% of new buses registered in 2019 are powered by diesel, Hybrid diesel/electric 0 0 22 - 0.6% 29 - 0.6% 245 - 5.6% with a decrease in volumes of Total 2,381 2,869 3,427 4,495 4,357 8% compared to 2018. The re Total alternative fuel 133 - 5.6% 106 - 3.7% 178 - 5.2% 464 - 10.3% 641 - 14.7% gistrations of natural gas buses Source: Anfia are also decreasing by 19%, in 2002. We can state that in the last 16 years, there has not been a real change of mobility paradigm, due to the lack of central and local policies in favor of sustainable mobility. In addition to this, the main indicators of
BUS FLEET TO BE MODERNISED
ccording to data reported A in the Anfia Dossier, buses circulating in Italy at the
end of 2019 were 100,149, that is 0.1% more than in 2018, with a variation in volumes that amounted to just 107 vehicles. This increase is less than the increase recorded in 2018, when buses were 1% more than the previous year, equal to 942 more buses, and to the one recorded in 2017, when the fleet had grown by 1.3%, with a variation of 1,283 vehicles. The bus fleet in Italy is made up for 2/3 of vehicles that are more than 10 years old, from
Electric buses, despite increasing by 50%, represent only 1.4% of sales in 2019 with 63 vehicles. In 2019, 15 LNG vehicles were also sold, an innovation for the Italian market and not only. Overall, 641 al-
the date of first registration, and for 45% of vehicles that are more than 15 years old. Buses that have been registrered less than 10 years ago are 33,984, representing 34% of the total.
Overall, at the end of 2018 (latest data available for comparison) the Italian bus fleet had an average age of 12.5 years and appeared to be older than that of the major European markets. The experience of the Italian bus fleet is reflected in the emission standards: 54.5% of the buses in circulation belong to pre-Euro4 class, while 35% of the buses belong to Euro5 or Euro6 classes. Compared to 2018, Euro6 buses circulating increased by 4,401 units, while those before Euro4 decreased by 4,363 units.
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the public transport offer have undergone a progressive reshaping over the years. In 2018, the number of buses used decreased by 1% compared to 2017, same percentage for the decrease in the number of buses per kilometer, in the number of seats offered and in the seats per kilometer offered. The decrease was uniform compared to 2017 for both the urban service indicators and extraurban service indicators. The change is even more negative if the comparison is made with 2005. According to the geographical distribution, in 2017 (the last available year), of the 44,739 buses used by local public transport (almost 1,000 less than in 2005), 20,152 were used in the Regions of Northern Italy, 10,522 in those of the Center and 14,065 in the South and in the Islands. Among the cities with over 200,000 inhabitants and the metropolitan cities, Milan is the one that produces the highest number of seats per kilometer, 20,681 million, considering buses, trolleybuses, trams and subways. It is followed by Rome with 20,541 million seats per kilometer and at distance by Turin with 6,145 million seats per kilometer, Venice with 2,994 million seats, Genoa with 2,693 million seats, Naples
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with 2,220 million seats and Florence with 2,118 million seats. Compared to the total of its own municipality, Milan is the city that offers the largest share of seats per kilometer by subway, which means 66% of the seats offered, while the number of seats offered by buses is 18.5%. Unlike Milan, in Rome the percentage of seats offered by road public transport is 60% while those by metro represent 36%. In Turin, road transport accounts for 62.5% of the public transport offer and the metro 18%, while trams represent the highest share of all the cities taken into account (19.5%) . The Anfia Dossier on mobility concludes by analyzing some aspects related to the efficiency and quality indicators of local utilities, i.e. local public transport companies, sharing mobility and the progress (delay) on the adoption of the Urban Plan for Sustainable Mobility in Italy. Unfortunately, in the Dossier there is no specific analysis for the (touring) rental services sector. The Dossier just states that “in recent years an offer of long-distance lowcost travel has established itself also in Italy for buses, which concerns both national and international routes “.
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BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
ALSO IN THE 18-METER VERSION
By the end of the year, the first fully electric Citaro articulated buses will begin the roll-out from Mannheim. They are fully adaptable for a wide range of applications
wo years after the launch of the 12-meter T electric Citaro, the range of Mercedes city buses is now completed with the 18.1-meter
eCitaro articulated bus. To cope with the orders already received (60 units) from half a dozen European cities, deliveries will begin by the end of the year. Manufactured in the plant in Mannheim, the eCitaro G features a strong adaptability to the E-CITARO G Lenght mm 18,125 Width mm 2,550 Height mm 3,400 Wheelbase mm 5,900+5,990 Front overhang mm 2,805 Rear overhang mm 3,430 Turning circle mm 22,928 Seats max max 145 Electric portal ZF AVE 130 Power max 2x125 kW Battery NMC Wave 1 243/292 kWh Battery NMC Wave 2 330/396 kWh Battery solid-state 378/441 kWh Charging system Combo CCS2 GVW kg 30,000
different applications, thanks to the different choices of configuration (with three or four doors), the different type of drivetrain, the number and type of battery packs and the type of charging system. Not to mention that for use on particularly rough roads, it can be equipped, upon request, with a strengthened chassis. The transport capacity can reach 145 passengers (45 seated for the three-door version) in the standard version which is equipped with 10 battery packs, or 136 passengers if equipped with 12 battery packs on board. As for the 12-meter eCitaro, the traction system is entrusted to the ZF AxTrax AVE 130 portal rear axle which integrates two three-phase liquid-cooled asynchronous motors with 125 kW of maximum power each, integrated into the wheel hubs. Upon request, the central axle can also be powered with the same ZF portal, thus doubling the traction power. For the accumulation of energy, ten packs of lithium-ion batteries (NMC Wave 1) are provided as standard with a total capacity of 243 kWh. Alternatively, it can be fitted with 330kWh new generation batteries (NMC Wave 2) or the number of battery packs can be increased to 12, bringing the total capacity to 292 or 396 kWh respectively. For the first time, upon request, it can be equip-
ped with solid-state lithium polymer battery packs, ideal for fast charging, which offer a capacity of 378 kWh (6 packs) and 441 kWh (7 packs). The batteries are recharged at the depot via a combined connection system with two Combo CCS2 plugs. The joint is mounted above the first axle on the right side of the vehicle. Alternatively, it can be requested with a pantograph charging system.
As for the 12-meter version, the eCitaro G also features a CO2 air conditioning system with heat pump, heating with radiant panels integrated into the side walls, smart thermal management and control of internal temperature based on the external temperature and load. In 2022, the eCitaro will be equipped with fuel cells to further increase operating autonomy. Other articles about Mercedes: https://bustocoach.com/en/costruttore/evobus-mercedes/
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BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
ounded in 2016 in the Czech Republic F but featuring a production plant in Slovakia, Torsus is a company specialized in off-road vehicles dedicated to utility and passenger transport. In addition to the PreTERRASTORM COACH Lenght mm 6,000 Width mm 2,065 Height mm 2,880 Wheelbase mm 3,640 Front overhang mm 1,015 Rear overhang mm 1,345 Seats 8+1 Engine MAN 2 litres Power cv (kW)/rpm 177 (130)/3,600 Torque Nm/rpm 410/1,500-2,000 Transmission 6-speed, 4x4 Tyres 265/70 R17 GVW kg 3,500
torian series which can accommodate up to 37 passengers, there are the smaller vehicles Terrastorm offered in the Coach, Mine Site, Cargo and Ambulance versions. The Terrastorm Coach is a 6-meter minibus with 8+1 seating arrangement built on a Volkswagen Crafter or on a MAN TGE 4Motion chassis powered by a 177 hp (130 kW) engine that can be coupled to the 6-speed manual or 8-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. The traction is integral, with rear differential lock. The strenghtened chassis uses upgraded suspension for off-road. In particular, McPherson suspension with extended stroke shock absorbers act on the front axle while at the rear the same shock absorbers act in combination with off-road leaf springs. In combination with 17-inch tires, ground clearance is 290 mm, approach and departure angles are respectively 26 degrees and 20 degrees and the wading depth is 690 mm. Upon request, customers can choose the
CUSTOMISES FOR OFF-ROAD
From the Czech manufacturer Torsus, a 4x4 minibus designed to tackle off-road usage without sacrificing passenger comfort “Deep Wave” pack which allows wading through 820 mm of water. The exterior equipment includes the modified front bumper, which hosts the LED high beam, daytime running lights, fog lights and spotlights, as well as the integrated winch that allows towing of vehicles up to 60 quintals in weight. As part of the underside protection, the customized 5 mm duraluminium skid plate protects the engine, radiator, transmission, rear axle, DPF filter, as well as the fuel and AdBlue tanks from any off-road damages. The passenger cabin is lined with 30mm thermal insulation and the anti-slip floor is 18mm high-density water-resistant board with 2mm PVC floor coverings to ensure it
is easy to clean and can withstand inhospitable environments. The high-comfort seats feature a steel frame and structure and upholstery in fabric and eco-leather, all equipped with three-point safety belts. For extreme configurations, “extra active” seats with 5-point harnesses can be requested. It also features an auxiliary heating system and the Air Care climate unit with three-zone control. Individual air vents are included in the equipment of the Torsus Air Channel luggage racks. The 9-seater Terrastorm Coach is the ideal solution for off-road, but there is also a 7.4-meter extended version with 19+1 seating arrangement.
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BusToCoach on-line Magazine - September 2020
THE CHANGES ARE LESS THAN EXPECTED In 2019, even if in Europe registrations of buses with alternative drive increased, the goals set by the eBus Report in 2018 still seem far away
IN
light of the final data on bus registrations in Europe in 2019, the prediction on the evolution of buses with alternative drive, made in 2018 by the eBus Report #2 (ZeEBUS project), seems unfortunately really difficult to achieve. For 2020, registrations were expected to be diesel at 53%, hybrids at 10%, electric (including fuel cells) at 21% and buses powered by alternative fuels at 16%. At the end of 2020, buses with alternative drive will certainly be confirmed as a growing trend, but according to the data provided by ACEA for buses with a gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 tons registered in 2019, NEW REGISTRATION -
the distance from the expected goals seems unbridgeable. In 2019, new diesel buses (including a dozen petrol vehicles) accounted for 84.9% of the European market, electric/fuel cell buses for 4%, hybrids for 4.8% and buses powered by alternative fuels (CNG, LPG and biogas) for 6.2%. The decrease in the total demand for diesel buses compared to the previous year (2018) was only 3.1%, despite some countries have focused more in this direction: Spain (-13.8%), United Kingdom (-12% ), Italy (-11.8%) and Germany (-10.1%). For buses with alterALTERNATIVE POWER BUSES (source ACEA) native drive, the increase in 2019 compared to 2018 was significant in terms of percentage, with electric vehicles recording an increase of 170.5% (from 594 to 1,607 vehicles) driven by sales in the Netherlands (381 units), France (285) and Germany (187).
NEW REGISTRATIONS 2019 >3.5 t IN EUROPE (source ACEA)
Country
Electric & fuel cell
Hybrid
Alternative fuels
Diesel
Total vehicles n.
AUSTRIA BELGIUM
5.2%
0%
1.5%
93.3%
1,085
2.8%
28.3%
0.2%
68.7%
900
CYPRUS
0%
0%
0%
100%
18
CZECH REPUBLIC
0.4%
0%
24.6%
75.1%
835
DENMARK
18.5%
0%
0%
81.5%
442
ESTONIA
0%
0%
42.2%
57.8%
104
FINLAND
6.7%
0%
2.9%
90.4%
536
FRANCE
4.2%
3.1%
8.6%
84.1%
5,702
GERMANY
2.9%
7.1%
1.0%
89.0%
5,717
GREECE
0%
0%
0%
100%
363
HUNGARY
0%
0%
0%
100%
705
IRELAND
0%
0%
0%
100%
445
1.5%
6.0%
7.1%
85.3%
3,626
ITALY LATVIA
2.1%
0%
7.3%
90.6%
87
NETHERLAND
40.7%
13.4%
1.1%
44.8%
419
POLAND
2.2%
2.1%
7.7%
87.9%
2,114
PORTUGAL
2.8%
1.7%
34.3%
61.2%
368
ROMANIA
6.6%
0%
0.1%
93.3%
710
SLOVAKIA
0%
0%
3.9%
96.1%
293
SPAIN
3.2%
13.1%
14.2%
69.5%
2,268
SWEDEN
7.4%
1.1%
21.5%
69.9%
921
UNITED KINGDOM
1.9%
0%
0%
98.1%
6,465
EUROPEAN UNION
4.0%
4.8%
6.2%
85.0%
34,123
NORWAY
6.8%
0%
8.1%
85.1%
1,954
SWITZERLAND
1.5%
15.9%
0.2%
82.4%
532
EFTA
5.7%
3.5%
6.4%
84.5%
2,486
EU+EFTA
4.1%
4.7%
6.2%
84.9%
36,609
In turn, hybrids increased by 59.7% (from 1,201 to 1,918 vehicles), in just six countries: Germany (454 units), Spain (427), Belgium (371), Italy (255), France (210) and the Netherlands (125). Differently, in 2019 no hybrid electric buses were registered in 13 EU countries. Finally, sales of buses powered by alternati-
ve fuels increased by 67.9% in 2019 (from 1,491 to 2,504 vehicles), almost all powered by natural gas. France (585 units), Spain (463), Italy (303) and Sweden (284) were the largest EU markets for natural gas buses. The latter also recorded the highest increase in the whole region (+283.8%).
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