Came across these recent videos on YouTube. From IAA commercial vehicle show.
The music is pretty bad.
3 doors, fully low floor and all electric is the rage.
Plus coloured lights, USB charging points and faux wooden floors.
BYD eBus 12
https://youtu.be/053z2iBnEpw
Volgabus CR12E
https://youtu.be/yIHcMDKjd1k
CRRC Sanbus King 12m
https://youtu.be/63bAOiiUNYs
Volvo 7900 Hybrid
https://youtu.be/aZaiuzBR2Wo
Merc eCitaro
https://youtu.be/Bbuv66HRMVM
Also some diesels, fully low floor
Merc Citaro 2door
https://youtu.be/96wumXtvCnM
Volvo B5L MCV 2door
https://youtu.be/NEZpuppUOeE
GAZ/LiAZ 5292 3door
https://youtu.be/pK-fHAijdE8
SOR NS12 3door
https://youtu.be/w__GNhYlFv8
Hope a few Aussie bus builders were taking note.
Latest Chinese and Euro electrics and diesel buses
Re: Latest Chinese and Euro electrics and diesel buses
I'd say Australian bus builders are well aware of these developments, it's the agencies and operators not stretching their horizons or being (seriously, not lip-service) respectful of their customers that's the problem. The builders can only produce to the specification that's ordered from them.
Apart from the efficiency issue of passenger flow and distribution, the minimalist grudging attitude that "disability" is only wheelchairs is a killer. Most wouldn't be aware that some 20% of the population has mobility issues of some sort - and they're not all "old" people. These can extend from eyesight issues to age, but mostly revolve around the broad category of arthritic issues. Climbing stairs is a painful task for very many people. The stepless gangway opens up many more seats for them because, even though the seats might be up on a platform, it's easy enough to swivel your bum sideways into a seat, then slide into it. But if you can't get up the aisle to where the seats are in the first place you're stuft. Ride Nowra Coaches CB80 Cargos any day and you'll see the issue!
Note how BYD can produce a low-floor battery bus to get into the European market, in order to compete with the sleek local offerings, but somehow that's too difficult for Australia. Manufacturers will respond to market pressures to stay competitive, but if the market pressures aren't there they won't lift a finger to change.
And I call bs on the assertion that vertical rear engines and portal axles are difficult to service etc. Something that mechanics/accountants don't like wouldn't be taking markets around the world (including Australia) by storm. In the end, the product has to be fit for purpose for its end-use.
Apart from the efficiency issue of passenger flow and distribution, the minimalist grudging attitude that "disability" is only wheelchairs is a killer. Most wouldn't be aware that some 20% of the population has mobility issues of some sort - and they're not all "old" people. These can extend from eyesight issues to age, but mostly revolve around the broad category of arthritic issues. Climbing stairs is a painful task for very many people. The stepless gangway opens up many more seats for them because, even though the seats might be up on a platform, it's easy enough to swivel your bum sideways into a seat, then slide into it. But if you can't get up the aisle to where the seats are in the first place you're stuft. Ride Nowra Coaches CB80 Cargos any day and you'll see the issue!
Note how BYD can produce a low-floor battery bus to get into the European market, in order to compete with the sleek local offerings, but somehow that's too difficult for Australia. Manufacturers will respond to market pressures to stay competitive, but if the market pressures aren't there they won't lift a finger to change.
And I call bs on the assertion that vertical rear engines and portal axles are difficult to service etc. Something that mechanics/accountants don't like wouldn't be taking markets around the world (including Australia) by storm. In the end, the product has to be fit for purpose for its end-use.
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Merc1107
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Re: Latest Chinese and Euro electrics and diesel buses
I don't know that I can agree with this - having so much componentry squished into a small space (such as in this photo of an Iveco) is bound to cause headaches in one way or another. In this case, where the bus is moving large crowds of people quickly on a regular basis, reduced accessibility to the drivetrain components is likely to be an acceptable trade-off, particularly if you start to think about how even savings of even a few seconds at each stop add up in terms of driver's wages, amount of fuel used in a trip and so on across days, weeks and years.tonyp wrote:And I call bs on the assertion that vertical rear engines and portal axles are difficult to service etc. Something that mechanics/accountants don't like wouldn't be taking markets around the world (including Australia) by storm. In the end, the product has to be fit for purpose for its end-use.
To add my 2¢ worth in on the statement about mechanics and accountants, there are examples across the globe (in the transport industry and elsewhere) where politics have trumped good decision-making. One doesn't even have to venture outside of this forum to see various examples of this.
Re: Latest Chinese and Euro electrics and diesel buses
You're describing every citybus there. PTV and two Victorian operators are moving in this direction now, so the change is in motion in Australia.Merc1107 wrote:In this case, where the bus is moving large crowds of people quickly on a regular basis, reduced accessibility to the drivetrain components is likely to be an acceptable trade-off, particularly if you start to think about how even savings of even a few seconds at each stop add up in terms of driver's wages, amount of fuel used in a trip and so on across days, weeks and years.