After the launch of 2-axle and 3-axle coaches by Mercedes-Benz, the company has been able to enter into the long-distance inter city bus segment of India. Owing to its success, in the inter city bus segment, the company announced on 9th March 2012 that it will also initiate its operations in city bus segment of the country. In the same event, Mercedes-Benz India revealed that it will open a city bus manufacturing unit at Chakan plant, Pune. The decision of Mercedes-Benz India to enter this segment is a part of Daimler's ambition to be a leader in the bus business.
Mr. Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses focusing on the Indian market, said “Our 2-axle and 3-axle buses have been very well received in the Indian market. Our foray into city buses will now enable more and more people to ‘Travel with the Star’. We will participate in the Indian market growth by expanding our bus business with a superior-quality low-entry city bus for the Indian market. The Mercedes-Benz City Bus we present today is hence key for Daimler Buses’ strategy for India. As the inventors of buses and one of the largest bus makers of the world, we are confident that our solutions will appeal to the demanding Indian customers”.
In the same ceremony, Daimler also announced that the company has appointed Mr. Markus Villinger as Head of Buses for the India. Working in the commercial vehicles business of Daimler, Mr. Villinger gained huge experience and he is now responsible for handling the overall bus business of India.
At the ceremony, Mr. Markus Villinger, commented, “India is a fascinating market and there is a rising demand for robust, reliable, and efficient city bus transportation. Our City Bus is designed to fulfil these requirements. The respect for brand Mercedes-Benz in India is legendary, and we shall try to deliver as far the expectation of our discerning customers and their passengers in India. Our production line at the Pune plant combined with body-building from our captive partner MCV will ensure our uncompromising standards of quality are maintained in India. I am extremely excited to be part of this growth story and hope together we can realize our ambition to make more people in India ‘Travel with the Star’.
As far as exterior of these new buses are concerned, Mercedes-Benz has provided them with new design that has set benchmark for the other buses of the same segment. Along with appealing exterior appearance, the bus also has spacious interiors. For easy entry and exit, these vehicles are provided with a low entry design. Further, wheel chair ramp is a facility in the buses that allows passengers with restricted mobility to get onboard.
Along with this, the interiors of these buses also have several comfort features. Multiple charging points, high comforting cushioning, destination board, and powerful air-conditioning system are some of the features provided in these buses for the comfort of the passengers.
In addition to these many comfort arrangement is also made for the driver that results in safe drive. The cabin of the driver is ergonomically designed with pneumatic seats. All important controls are placed in such as way that these are easily accessible.
Apart from this, Mercedes-Benz has manufactured its vehicle with superior quality components and it offers unmatched package to the customers. The company has incorporated its low entry city bus with a powerful OM 926 diesel engine that has potential to generate a maximum power of 252 hp.
Moreover, the robust engine of this bus features an efficient economical drive system using BlueTec diesel technology. For convenient driving, choice of optional equipment is available. Hence, the vehicle becomes ideal to meet the increasing requirement of public transport.
Along with a powerful engine, the Mercedes-Benz City Bus also delivers an impressive fuel economy that reduces its overall running cost. Factors like performance oriented engine, smartly developed aerodynamics, optimum weight factor, rolling resistance and precisely developed aerodynamics have placed this vehicle ahead of its competitors. Its smart engine designing demands long service intervals and therefore, the vehicle has emerged as a prominent choice of customers.
In order to offer a hassle free drive, the company has equipped high-tech air suspension system within its city buses. This special suspension system provides an excellent stability to the vehicle, making the drive more convenient. Same technology is also induced in the coaches of Mercedes-Benz, which have already gained much appreciation from the customers.
The entire production process of Mercedes-Benz goes through stringent quality checks. Quality standards adopted by Indian subsidiary of Mercedes are parallel to the standards followed across the globe. Moreover, the quality delivered by the production unit of the company has set benchmarks in the entire industry that complements the skills of Daimler's bus production. Endurance testing, rough road testing and overall performance testing has been done on the City Bus along with fine-tuning.
This City Bus has been designed in compliance with the bus body code for regulating various diverse Indian bus body building landscape, so that maximum diver and passenger safety can be attained. In India, Mercedes-Benz City Bus is the first bus to attain bus body code certification. In spite of these features, the company has fixed the price of the base variant of Mercedes-Benz City Bus at Rs. 9,000,000 (ex-factory price Pune).
