A natural gas-powered vehicle manufacturer, Austrian Technologies Nigeria, has disclosed details of its full range of ECO-Green buses, some of which the company says are already in Nigeria.
The vehicle maker said its buses were built with European standards for critical climate and infrastructure and targeted at private and public transport operators in Nigeria, including schools and corporate organisations.
A statement from the Chief Executive Officer of Austrian Technologies Nigeria Limited, Johann Rieger, said the bus range was built on a single platform and comprised 8.5m length (Marcopolo size) for 60 passengers; 10.5m for 80 passengers, 12m for 100 people, 12.8m for 110 passengers and 18m accommodating 160 passengers.
Rieger noted that the buses were imbued with technology geared towards higher safety for passengers through optimised distribution of impact forces through overall body frame structure; improved life span of structure; lower operating costs (maintenance, tyres, fuel consumption); and the weight advantage over a classical chassis-body structure.
He said the possibility to convert gas buses to zero emission hydrogen operation upon local availability of hydrogen was another unique feature of ECO Green Buses.
According to Rieger, the buses are the safest and most economical mass transit vehicles which can reduce carbon footprints by 95 per cent and operating costs by 30 per cent.
Rieger noted that the buses were equipped with gas engines of higher emission standards (Euro 5) with no toxin, smog or smoke, guaranteeing reduced noise and lower fuel costs.
Some of the other unique features listed include a speed limiter, alcohol test and driver’s fatigue detection with driver’s biometric identification, CCTV camera system that can be directly integrated into the city surveillance system; reverse camera; handicapped ramp and wheelchair area.
The buses are equipped with air purification system and a bipolar ionisation system integrated into the ventilation system.
According to the company, it is the only system worldwide that permanently and chemical free sanitizes the indoor air in buses throughout the entire operation.