Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), the wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler AG, has launched an all-new BharatBenz intercity coach. Targeted at the growing segment of inter-city travel, the 16-tonne, 238 hp (175 kW) front-engine coach is the latest addition to BharatBenz’ 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.”
The 12-meter long BharatBenz intercity coach offers 790 mm of legroom for passengers, wide windows, a powerful air conditioner with an engine driven compressor and an open saloon design which claims to enhance acoustic insulation despite a front mounted engine. The front and rear air suspensions of the coach are said to be calibrated with chassis performance to minimize impacts of road undulations.
The BharatBenz intercity coach is fitted with a “comprehensive range of seamlessly integrated” active and passive safety features. The aluminique body is claimed to meet the stringent safety standards for roll over as per the AIS-031 CMUR Bus Body Code. Fabricated without any welded parts, BharatBenz says that the lightweight structure not only gives extra strength to the vehicle but also lowers its centre of gravity, which provides extra stability to the vehicle.
The coach also gets wider brake lining (410 x 220 for all four tyres). With regard to interiors, the vinyl flooring comes with an anti-skid top layer and fire retardant materials which are designed to ensure a safe walkway for passengers in case of emergency situations.
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, including this new coach, meet the upgraded norms using a system based on SCR technology. 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.
