Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation have announced that the first FUSO buses built in India have crossed the 100-unit production milestone, with the bus seen as a further collaboration under the Daimler Trucks Asia Partnership, with the MFTBC, DICV and EvoBus all helping in the design and execution of the bus.
A Bus Fit for 30 People
The new FUSO BA bus, which is exported out of the DICV (Daimler India Commercial Vehicles) Oragadam plant as a BU vehicle, is now available to customers in the United Arab Emirates. Whilst the plant helped with the design and construction process, the MFTBC and EvoBus were instrumental in arranging the sales strategy. The product was developed in response to customer demand for vehicles able to transport over 30 passengers. Since pilot sales for the product began in December 2019, the number of BA buses produced for the UAE market has now crossed 100 units. Cumulative production of the BA bus is planned to reach 800 units by the end of year 2023.
The FUSO BA bus, which is modelled on the BharatBenz Staff Bus, seats 36 passengers and is designed to match local demand for student and employee transportation. The application of an existing model allowed for the speedy commercialisation of the vehicle for a market with strong growth in urban development and industrialisation. The bus is installed with the economical 3.9-litre 4D37 4-cylinder engine that complies with Euro V emission norms, whilst all seats are equipped with fire-retardant upholstery and 3-point seat belts for increased passenger safety. A roof hatch also enables emergency ventilation or evacuation, providing another level of assurance during commutes. To match extreme summer conditions, the BA also comes standard with a high-capacity air conditioner.
In addition to the new BA bus, the light-duty Rosa bus has also been made available locally. Being the largest market in the MENA region for the MFTBC, the UAE has traditionally been a stronghold of the FUSO brand. In 2019, FUSO vehicles achieved a market share of over 53%. BU trucks and buses from DICV’s Oragadam plant, as well as MFTBC’s Kawasaki and Toyama plants are all exported to the country and sales are currently overseen by Al Habtoor Motors, which has been a FUSO general distributor in the region since 1983.
