MAN has secured major orders for natural gas powered buses from France and Bulgaria. Paris-based RATP has purchased 103 MAN Lion’s City buses, half of which are powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and Bulgaria’s city of Sofia has acquired 126 Lion’s City buses, all CNG-powered. The buses for Sofia use 310 HP, 6-cylinder natural gas, Euro 6 engines.
The MAN buses operate with exceptionally low fuel consumption and low emissions. The natural gas drive is an alternative to the conventional diesel drive and significantly undershoots the current stringent emission standard without the need for any additional filter technology or operating media. The buses are also fitted with a four-step six-speed automatic gearbox with built-in retarder.
Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP), the state-owned public transport operator responsible for most of the public transport in Paris and its surrounding Île-de-France region and the fifth largest provider of public transport services in the world, has bought 50 hybrid and 53 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses. The volume of the order is around EUR 30 million (USD 38 million). The units are expected to be delivered in 2015. The units have particularly high seating and standing capacities of around 100 persons.
MAN has received an order from the City of Sofia for 126 Lion’s City G CNG type articulated buses intended for public transport. The 18-metre long Lion’s City G CNG seats up to 150 passengers comfortably. The first 20 buses have already been handed over.
Using concentrated biogas (biomethane) or e-gas, MAN CNG buses can be operated as CO2-neutral, offering emission levels comparable to that of fully electric vehicles.
Due to the very smooth fuel combustion, CNG buses are especially quiet when under way.
(Source: MAN)
