Safeguard Coaches takes delivery of Plaxton Panther pair from ADL
This duo of Plaxton Panther coaches each feature 57 seats and are built on a Volvo B8R chassis. They will become part of Safeguard Coaches’ private hire fleet which also trades as Farnham Coaches. The coaches are also equipped with at-seat USB charging points, air conditioning, wood effect flooring, bi-xenon headlights and a ZF automatic gearbox.
The delivery marks the first touring coach order Safeguard Coaches has placed with ADL since 2008.
Safeguard Coaches Managing Director Andrew Halliday said on the order: “These coaches will be a great addition to our fleet and represent our continued investment in making sure we have high-quality, reliable vehicles to help deliver a first-class service for our customers. Eye-catching messaging built into the livery application is designed to encourage potential customers to travel by coach and help the coach industry build back after the pandemic.”
Mark Taylor, ADL Sales Account Manager, added: “It’s been a pleasure to deliver these two vehicles to Safeguard Coaches and we look forward to working with them again in the future.”
BYD’s global presence continues to grow
In August, Chinese manufacturer BYD delivered more than 60,000 battery electric vehicles – a milestone that will undoubtedly be passed up quite soon. BYD’s battery electric cars, buses and trucks are recognized worldwide for their technology, their innovation and commitment to safety.
Major boost for green public transport in Finland: 25 new generation VDL Citeas for the port city of Kotka
The supply deal agreement between Finnish bus company Oy Pohjolan Liikenne Ab and VDL Bus & Coach has given a further boost to green public transport in Finland, with 25 new generation VDL Citeas, based on electric drive trains and with state-of-the-art features, to join the fleet in the port city of Kotka. They will also serve as regional transport to the neighbouring town of Hamina.
This is the first large series of new generation Citeas that VDL Bus & Coach has sold abroad, in addition to one new generation VDL Citea also ordered by Lahti, Finland. This order will follow that of Dutch public transport company Hermes, which will deploy 32 new generation LF-122 type VDL Citeas in the first quarter of next year in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Production of Kotka’s new buses will begin in late 2022 and will be delivered in 2023.
With the addition of these 25 Citeas, Oy Pohjolan Liikenne Ab expands its VDL fleet to almost 200 vehicles. Sami Ojamo, Managing Director of VDL Bus & Coach Finland, said: “The transition to electric and sustainable public transport in Finland continues at an exponential pace. Our long-standing, valued customer is a great example of this trend. Early in 2019, they ordered their first five electric Citeas from VDL Bus & Coach. Now, they have purchased from our latest generation of city buses. The addition to their fleet substantiates their position as a frontrunner in e-mobility in Finland. We look forward to seeing the new generation of Citeas in Kotka and operating in the Nordic market.”
The port city of Kotka is located in southern Finland, about 130 kilometres from the capital Helsinki. The 25 new generation Citeas will be used in city traffic and on regional services to Hamina, which lies 20 kilometres to the east. At present, this line mainly operates using LLE Diesel Citeas, but this route will soon be covered by emission-free, LE-122 type VDL Citeas of the new generation. With its 490kWh battery pack and 39+4+1 seats, the 12.2-metre Low Entry is well suited to both city and regional transport.
Karsan to Export 35 Million Euro-Worth of “Electric Buses” to Romania!
This year Karsan is celebrating its 55th anniversary in the Turkish automotive industry, manufacturing its own vehicles at its modern facilities, as well as parts for the world’s prominent brands in the commercial vehicles sector.
Karsan won the tenders for fully electric public transport solutions, opened by the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development & Public Management, in what can be called the largest export deal for electric buses to be signed by the Turkish Automobile industry. Following the tender, two ceremonies were held in Romania with the participation of Karsan CEO Okan Baş, where the official signatures were made for the public transportation system export worth 35 million euros. Karsan won both tenders with its fully electric 18-meter bus. Leading the industry with its high-tech products, Karsan will deliver a total of 56 electric buses as part of the tender, 44 of them to the Municipality of Timişoara, and 12 to the Municipality of Braşov. Karsan will also install a total of 75 charging stations (19 of them quick-chargers) in the region, and will undertake all maintenance and garage operations of all vehicles for six years for a comprehensive fully electric public transportation system service.
An industry pioneer with many global innovations in the field of electric and autonomous vehicles, Karsan is now getting ready for an export worth €35 million for the two electric bus tenders it won in Romania. This deal marks the highest-priced export contract signed by a Turkish company for the sale of electric buses. Both tenders were opened by the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Management. Karsan won the tenders of Timişoara Municipality and Braşov Municipality for 44 and 12 units of 18-meter electric buses, respectively, to be used in urban public transport services. Karsan will also install a total of 75 charging stations (19 of them quick-chargers) in Romania, and will undertake all maintenance and garage operations of all vehicles for six years for a comprehensive fully electric public transportation system service. Karsan, which will be exporting 56 units of zero-emission buses in the 18-meter class, consisting of fully electric models, to Romania as part of the tenders, plans to start its first party of deliveries in 2022.
