In tradition for the industry, all eyes turned to Busworld’s annual trade fair, with a wide range of companies showing off their latest technological innovations in the bus and coach game.
From the newest zero-emissions bus and coach technology to the evolving management and solutions companies, there was a wealth on show in Brussels.
While ABC wasn’t there in person, plenty of global businesses with Australian arms were.
A few of these businesses shared an insight into what the global company displayed at the mammoth event.
BYD
As a leading global force in pure electric bus and battery manufacturing, BYD put on a show at Busworld 2023 with its latest BYD Blade Battery technology. In Brussels, BYD introduced a double entry of new electric bus innovations, with two new pure electric buses premiered in the BYD eBus B19 and the eBus B15.
Alongside these new models, the eBus B12 and BYD-UNVI DD13 double-decker coach also made their European debuts at the Expo, with the highlight of this massive unveiling being the latest battery technology onboard the B12. The B12 is the first bus to include BYD’s pioneering Blade Battery Chassis, bringing a new level of safety, energy efficiency and exceptional range.
The BYD Blade Battery technology caught plenty of attention throughout the massive event, with the wafer-thin blades making the battery more compact than ever before. This means the batteries can be stored on the floor of the chassis, revolutionising BYD’s new 12m eBus. With a maximum capacity of 500kWh, the BYD Blade Battery technology delivers a range of 600km, with this exciting technology heralding a new age of electric bus battery production.
“We were delighted to present two of our latest eBus innovations at such a prestigious event for bus and coach operators in Europe,” BYD Europe eBus sales vice president Javier Contijoch says.
“We were especially proud to launch the BYD B12 and the truly revolutionary Blade Battery Chassis, making eMobility safer and more energy efficient than ever before.
“BYD has, for more than a decade, been at the pinnacle of electric bus innovation and we are committed to inspiring zero-emission eMobility on a global scale.
“These new pure electric buses show our relentless dedication to technological advancements in this field.”
E-T-A
E-T-A was once again represented at Busworld in 2023. Following four years away from the fair due to COVID-19, the fair and E-T-A’s stand were well attended.
The focus of the fair and E-T-A’s stand was on decarbonisation and digitalisation, with the likes of autonomous driving, condition monitoring and modern passenger information systems all key topics.
E-T-A product manager Dietmar Koops says it was a very interesting fair to be at.
“It was great after the break to see live vehicles and to meet people,” Koops told ABC. “With our high-voltage solutions in the HVR10, HVB10 and HVS10 and our intelligent power distribution solutions, we covered the main focus points of the fair.
“Our automotive circuit breakers and relay portfolio are also benefitting from the ongoing electrification of the commercial vehicle industry and the high importance of low downtimes.”
A new double pole high voltage breaker, the HVB10, was shown off as a new product for megawatt charging of buses and trucks. A virtual world was shown on a smart screen at E-T-A’s stand, allowing people to see its solutions in action onboard a bus.
E-T-A also turned a conversation with a leading manufacturer of buses and trucks into a large order, while gaining new contacts.
“There is a growing market for battery pack manufacturers who assemble complete battery packs from cells and wire harness for various OEMs. We can provide the safety elements,” Koops says.
Hanover Displays
Hanover was excited to be back at Busworld 2023 in Brussels. The event gave the company the chance to show its latest products and connect with customers and partners. Its international sales team was on hand to provide expert insights and support, with a range of its popular existing products being enjoyed by the latest innovations.
Hanover showed off its new high-resolution destination LED displays, using the latest technology to have the capacity to reduce pixel spacing down to two millimetres and offering up to 20 times the total number of LEDs used in a typical sign system. These versatile signs can also show images and animations, available in amber or white monochrome and with an option to add a colour route number.
Its EG4 destination controller designed for streamlined transit operations was also shown, including advanced user terminals that use a touchscreen graphical user interface. With built-in audio output and an additional line level audio output for voice announcements, this model was a hit.
Lastly, new multimedia passenger information smart TFT screens provided crystal clear information, while the Hanover Cloud application brought it all together and enabled remote management of the passenger information systems.
“Our presence at Busworld 2023 was met with positive responses, as always, and it was a great chance to engage with the industry,” Hanover says.
King Long
Back in 2007, King Long was the first Chinese bus and coach brand to attend Busworld. Just 16 years on, the popular manufacturer ventured to Brussels for its ninth consecutive Busworld fair.
At the event, King Long released three brand new products specially designed for the European market. The King Long PEV 6, the brand’s new six metre air suspension, low floor pure electric minibus, is designed specifically for the narrow streets of Europe and for last-mile, on-demand transport. With a turning circle of eight metres, the PEV 6 can carry more than 30 passengers.
King Long also launched its new nine metre medium-sized pure electric, low floor city bus. Fitted with a range of new safety features and King Long technology, the bus also formed part of a launch of the new intelligent Eco-Chip 3.0 system. The Eco-Chip 3.0 monitors real-time safety and traffic scenarios, including the new King Long-developed intelligent warning system.
The third and final release at King Long’s Busworld stand was the unveiling of a new European intercity 12m bus in the C12E. Designed in the UK specifically for western markets including Europe and Australia, the coach is already scheduled to operate on high-density routes such as Paris to Amsterdam.
Valeo
Valeo’s Busworld experience allowed it to showcase its innovative thermal management technologies for buses of all sizes and drive types. Its display at the largest global bus and coach event included products that reinforce its commitment to greener mobility, as well as thermal comfort without compromise, maximum safety and fleet-efficient zero-emissions solutions.
Valeo brought is E-Cooler solution to Brussels, which allows a range of battery temperature management models with a maximum cooling capacity of 10 kW. Depending on the requirement, the E-Cooler can protect batteries from overheating during charging and discharging, while also keeping batteries cool when driving at higher outside temperature and with heavy loads.
The all-electric rooftop air-conditioner REVO®-E HP R744, Valeo’s latest AC systems, was also presented. Valeo says the system impressed with its further significant reduction in noise emissions and weight alongside a simplified refrigeration circuit. A range of thermal heaters and high-end water pumps were also put on display to highlight Valeo’s commitment to various HVAC solutions.
Ventura Systems
For Ventura Systems, Busworld Brussels was the podium for the launch of a new Inward Gliding door system concept, together with a non-touch (capacitive) sensitive edge.
When opening the new Inward Gliding door, the door leaves are fully lifted by the unique kinematics of the system. A simple linkage creates a reliable lifting movement that makes sure that the door leaf clears the slope of the floor. When closing, the door leaf falls back in the lower position to make a perfect seal with the portal from the inside.
This design has no need for a gap to clear the slope of the floor, which could cause more noise and water and dirt ingress. The lifting movement eliminates the need for flaps or typical brushes to bridge the gap between the floor and the door leaf. The result of the improved sealing from the inside is the minimal noise levels during driving and minimal water or dirt ingress due to the absence of flaps of deforming sealing rubber on the underside of the door leaf.
Another Ventura Systems innovation on show at Busworld was the capacitive sensitive edge. In order to protect the more vulnerable passengers and increase comfort for other passengers, a capacitive sensitive edge offers obstruction prevention by using non-touch sensors. In the rubber of the door leaf, a touch pressure-sensitive sensor is combined with a non-touch detection system. This effectively prevents the door leafs from touching the passenger, as the door movement is stopped by the door control unit based on the interference with electrical field. When backed up by a sensitive edge, this ensures maximum safety.
Yutong
Yutong’s Busworld experience included plenty of success, with the major brand taking home two Busworld vehicle awards. Its premium luxury electric coach, the T15E, won awards in the coach design and ecology sections, becoming the only coach to win the award in 2023.
The model was comprehensively evaluated from multiple spheres, including its design, technological innovation and environmental protection. With the Yutong stand also showing off its impressive YEA advanced electric technology, highlighting the power of its innovation in the bus and coach market.
“The two awards are not only honours obtained by Chinese manufacturing brands, but also strengthen Yutong’s leading position in the global field of new energy buses,” Yutong says.
“The power of China’s high-end manufacturing amazes the whole world!”