Yutong is in the midst of upgrading many of its existing range of bus options. 2023 will be no different as the brand has eyes on a greener future range for Australian customers.
A whirlwind 2022 for Yutong means the sole Australian distributor of Yutong buses in Australia, VDI Australia, has been kept busy. Alongside its well-known range of diesel options, Yutong has also introduced various zero-emissions options as it follows the industry’s transition to greener buses.
This includes the E12 model, as well as the latest option in the C12E bus that was launched at 2022’s Bus & Coach Expo.
Combined with the latest version of the smaller D7 bus, Yutong is expanding its range to cater for variations in the Australian market.
“It’s been a very, very busy year for the Yutong team,” VDI Australia general manager Lou Riccardi told ABC. “Getting the new D7 coming to light this year and the new C12E, as well as upgrades to the E12, has made for a lot of exciting work.”
The C12E now takes pride of place in Yutong’s zero-emissions fleet.
The new 57-seat school bus come mining shuttle come charter product is leading the future plans for Yutong Australia’s catalogue.
After being launched in late 2022, the electric vehicle is primed for a massive 2023 in the local market.
Evolution in Yutong’s technology means the C12E is filled with the best safety systems that the brand can offer.
Riccardi says the C12E combines 22 years of Yutong knowledge and experience in building electric buses. He says the C12E comes with the same evolution of safety systems that the E12 model has, including the unique Yutong S safety system.
“The safety features on the C12E include Yutong’s unique crash protection and fire mitigation systems that we will put on all of our buses,” Riccardi says.
“All of our learnings in the electric bus space have been implemented – we believe the C12E, alongside the E12, are very safe and reliable vehicles.”
Riccardi says the same two decades of electric bus experience and knowledge has come to the fore with Yutong’s other electric model in the E12.
These unique safety systems may be hidden from the customer and operator’s view, but Riccardi says these solutions are helping give Yutong’s electric products a point of difference in the market.
Alongside their range and performance capabilities, Riccardi says the E12 and C12E are class acts.
Pivoting away from VDI’s latest electric models and the newer version of the D7 has also been a gamechanger for Yutong Australia.
Alongside the existing D9 and D12 models, Riccardi says the D7 has taken on a different market space.
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By being a smaller sized vehicle, Riccardi is expecting the D7 to take over the D9 and D12 models as the premier diesel model in the brand’s range.
“The current D9 and D12 buses are now great vehicles that are coming to the end of their lives,” Riccardi says. “They are good value for money, are reliable and are well put together. Yet now our D7 will take on the market.”
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Moving into 2023, Riccardi expects the year to be just as busy as 2022 was for Yutong and VDI Australia.
Following the successful launch of the C12E, Riccardi and his team will continue promoting the new electric product.
The brand has high ambitions to completely electrify its product range in the next few years, with the Euro 6 transition being the first step for many. It shows a clear ambition for Yutong to lead the trend in the bus and coach industry towards a zero-emissions future.
“Our aim is to have our whole range be at least Euro 6 in emissions in the future,” Riccardi says. “Eventually we also want to have it all available in electric models. This ranges from our current D7, D9 and D12 vehicles, all the way through to our C12E and our E12 low floor city bus.”
What to look forward to in 2023
As part of Yutong Australia’s low-emissions transition, 2023 will be filled with new updates and models. Riccardi says VDI Australia has started already with a new Euro 6 version of the C12 range. The release of the C12 Euro 6 model is planned for early next year.
Alongside the C12 release is the upcoming electric model of the smaller D7 bus.
“Both the new electric version of the D7 and the C12 Euro 6 range will be an exciting way to start 2023,” Riccardi told ABC. “They’re the future products for the company and we’re planning around them as we move forward.”
Following these releases, VDI Australia is also set to unveil a new Euro 6 range that includes both 12m and 10m bus options for the local market. These will vary between a 57 and 43-seat capacity to continue providing the versatility that Yutong prides itself on.
Riccardi says this line-up of future models alludes to an exciting time for Yutong and VDI Australia as it pushes towards zero-emissions.
“Throughout all of these plans, we are still providing the same that we always do,” Riccardi says. “This means we will be providing a quality product that is reliable, performs well and has the aftersales support that we are renowned for.”