Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler AG, continues its product offensive to further expand the product portfolio of its BharatBenz brand. As per plan and as announced in 2015 with the start of the company’s bus business, the all-new BharatBenz intercity coach completes the brand’s bus line-up. Targeted at the growing segment of inter-city travel, the 16-tonne, 238 hp (175 kW) front-engine coach complements BharatBenz’ successful portfolio of school, staff and tourist buses in the 9-tonne category, which have been available since the end of 2015.
Speaking at the launch event, Mr. Markus Villinger, Managing Director Daimler Buses India said: “We designed the all-new BharatBenz intercity coach to take inter-city travel to the next level: a safer and more comfortable experience for passengers and drivers, and more value for operators at the same time. Building on our acceptance in the market and this strong product with proven BS-IV technology, we are very confident to capture opportunities in this growing segment.”
With its optimized wheelbase, the 12-meter BharatBenz intercity coach ensures best-in-class cabin space distribution for easy seating, offering 790 mm of legroom for passengers. Refined interiors and wider windows provide for a relaxed journey with panoramic views. The front and rear air suspensions are calibrated with chassis performance to minimize impacts of road undulations. Overall, the vehicle also offers low levels of noise, vibration and harshness thanks to its unique open saloon design which enhances acoustic insulation despite a front mounted engine. A powerful air conditioner with engine driven compressor assures not only a pleasant cabin environment for passengers but also a less fatiguing workplace for drivers, helping them to stay alert.
The BharatBenz intercity coach adopts a holistic approach towards safety and is fitted with a comprehensive range of seamlessly integrated active and passive safety features. The robust aluminique body meets the stringent safety standards for roll over as per the AIS-031 CMUR Bus Body Code. Fabricated without any welded parts, the lightweight structure not only gives extra strength to the vehicle but also lowers its centre of gravity. This provides extra stability to the vehicle and drastically reduces chances of toppling. The wider brake lining (410 x 220 for all four tyres) guarantees effective braking leading to a better braking distance. With regard to interiors, the vinyl flooring comes with an anti-skid top layer and fire retardant materials which are carefully designed to ensure a safe walkway for passengers in case of emergency situations.
With a focus on higher profitability for bus operators, the BharatBenz intercity coach is designed for lower cost of ownership. The vehicle body’s unique aluminique structure considerably lowers its gross vehicle weight, while the aerodynamic body design and tubeless tyres reduce drag and rolling resistance, altogether improving fuel efficiency. The coach also offers unmatched oil change and gearbox oil change intervals of 100,000 km. The extended warranty that BharatBenz offers for all its vehicles nationwide is also available. As a unique BharatBenz feature, annual maintenance packages are offered that cover both the body and chassis, ensuring optimum maintenance.
BharatBenz BS-IV vehicles meet the upgraded norms using a system based on SCR technology proven in hundreds of thousands of Daimler commercial vehicles in many markets for over a decade. Besides the further improved fuel economy and lower maintenance costs, SCR technology allows BharatBenz BS-IV vehicles to operate unhampered with BS-III fuel, if required. The SCR technology uses an aqueous urea-based fluid called AdBlue, which is sprayed into the exhaust stream to break down dangerous nitrogen oxides emissions into harmless nitrogen and water. AdBlue consumption is only a fraction of fuel consumption, so refill intervals are fewer. AdBlue is available nationwide at all BharatBenz dealerships and other outlets.
