It seems that Mexico now wants to be the spearhead for new mass transportation projects in Latin America, as more and more brands seek to test their vehicles in the BRT systems of the cities of the Aztec nation. Either by the start of operations or by demonstrations to the operators to evaluate the viability of their proposals and then incorporate them into the fixed line.
Yutong has been advancing very rapidly in Mexico and has generated important news at the Latin American level, first with the arrival of more than 120 trolleybuses for the country’s capital, of which it is expected to have about 500. Additionally, the tests carried out in 2020 with the 18-meter electric articulated bus, have been successful as 10 units have already been definitively incorporated into the Metrobús system of a large Mexican metropolis.
Now it is the state of Jalisco and the city of Guadalajara that receive the Yutong buses, with three models, each with different technology: natural gas, diesel and hybrid, which are only differentiated by the location of the fuel tanks, since they are of 10.8 meters in length. The first of them is the ZK6116HG, which is rolling on the routes of the Mi Transporte system.
Externally, the ZK6116HG has some features already seen in the award-winning U12 electric bus that appeared in 2019, combining straight lines and large arches, to give it a futuristic look that is complemented by sloping surfaces and rounded corners, ideal that give it a lot of eye-catching on the sides cities. While the interior allows accommodating 100 passengers with great comfort, of which 29 travel seated.
It is powered by a Yuchai origin engine of the YC6G family, dedicated to run on natural gas, with 7,800cc of displacement, 6 cylinders, turbocharged and intercooled that produces 260HP at 2,300 revolutions and 980Nm of torque between 1,300 and 1,700 revolutions. The transmission is automatic, provided by ZF of the EcoLife family, with 6 speeds and fuel saving system. It can accommodate up to 8 tanks, each with a capacity to store up to 120 liters of gas.
The suspension is pneumatic with electronic level control (ECAS) and kneeling function to improve accessibility; it also features ABS and ASR traction control. The active safety system with adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning and automatic braking are options, as well as the EBS braking system.
For the occupants to have a better life on board, the USB ports, the sanitization system with UVL lamps, delimited spaces for those traveling in wheelchairs, as well as an access ramp. For maximum system reliability, the batteries have liquid cooling, the electronic control is integrated in order to reduce voltage peaks, while the electrical system is shock-proof.