In recent years, Iveco has gained a substantial presence in the minibus/midibus and midicoach passenger transport sector, not only with its own Daily models but chassis and cab versions converted by coachworks specialists all across Europe. Now, the latest evolution of the Iveco Daily minibus family breaks new ground, by introducing new adaptive and intelligent solutions that take interaction and collaboration with the driver and the transport operator to a new level.
Stéphane Espinasse, IVECO Bus Brand President, said: “With the New Daily minibus, which is enriched with, among other things, a Low Entry version, we are moving to the next level. With new innovations with no equivalent on the market, it always offers more comfort and safety on board, flexibility focus on the missions as well as a substantial TCO reduction. With the New Daily, we propose to our customers a unique set of digital services available to optimize their operation and decrease their costs. A constant search for improvement which positions this minibus as the best in its category.”
The latest minibus Daily anticipates the needs of transport companies that is changing fast. Connectivity has become a necessity in every area of everyday life – personal and professional – and vehicles must meet this requirement. Sustainability and clean air have acquired even more urgency, leading to increasingly challenging vehicle emissions standards. Thanks to its environmentally friendly natural gas engine and its particularly silent mode of operation, the new minibus Daily represents a true clean transport solution.
What is probably the most significant development within the new Daily minibus is the introduction of an pneumatic suspension, which continuously adapts to the condition of usage to deliver a uniquely smooth and safe ride for driver and passengers. Termed AIR-PRO, its exclusive Continuous Damping Control (CDC) unit reacts almost instantly to road disturbances, calculating every 10 milliseconds the ideal pressure on each shock absorber to deliver the best dynamic reaction. The lower vibrations, reduced by 25% contribute further to a supremely comfortable driving experience.
The AIR-PRO intelligent system also adapts to the driver’s requirements and puts them in control of the suspension’s behaviour. They can choose to prioritise comfort with the Soft setting; select Load to optimise handling and roll control in full load conditions; or leave it to the system’s self-adapting parameters with the Auto setting. The AIR-PRO suspension adapts to the vehicle load, reducing the roll angle by 30% in bends, enhancing the driver’s safety and protecting the passengers.
The AIR-PRO suspension makes access and exit operations easy and efficient, adjusting the height of the vehicle chassis in less than 10 seconds. A memory function also enables the operator to memorise the alignment with usual access platforms, making it even easier to get the vehicle ready. The AIR-PRO intelligent system is easy to manage via a dedicated rotary switch on the dashboard and new, intuitive TFT graphics.
The New Daily minibus features a new driver seat with central pad of the cushion and backrest, and the headrest in memory foam – an industry first for minibuses. The foam moulds to the body, distributing the weight evenly, reducing pressure peaks by up to 30%. This results in supreme comfort and protects from back pain. The side sections have been thickened with 15mm of high-density foam to improve lateral containment, enhancing safety and the driving experience. Taller people will be more comfortable the 20 mm longer and 15 mm thicker front cushion, which provides better support for their longer legs. The seat side carter and levers have been redesigned to make it easier to get on and off the vehicle.
New Daily minibus remains true to its reputation for versatility with its extensive engine line-up. It is now available in two diesel Euro 6E engine forms powers (180 & 210 hp) and a Natural Gas engine (136 hp) and provides an appropriate response to all the needs related to passenger transport. Facing with the challenges of reducing air pollution for the transport sector and the creation of low- emission zones, Iveco Bus, a pioneer in the development of alternative energies for more than 20 years, naturally offers an alternative motorization with the engine 3.0 liter CNG. It delivers powerful and responsive performance with 136 hp and 350 Nm of torque. This CNG version helps to preserve natural resources, as it is fully compatible with biomethane, which comes from the recovery of organic waste. Thereby, the CNG Daily minibus guarantees an excellent carbon footprint and represents a concrete step towards energy transition. The environmental benefits then translate into greenhouse gas reductions of up to 95%.
A new 6-speed manual transmission offers excellent driving experience with best-in-class engagement. The exclusive Hi-Matic 8-speed transmission is still available as standard and ensures maximum performance at low operating costs and absolute driving comfort and increased performance.
On top of all services available, this Daily provides IVECO Driver Pal, the pioneering vocal and digital driver companion. It is fully integrated with Alexa technology, enabling the driver to bring their digital life on board, interact vocally with their vehicle and the driving community, and access IVECO’s connected services.
