INTERNATIONAL
Cairo’s transit agency will operate over 120 MAN CNG buses by 2020
The Cairo Transportation Authority (CTA) has ordered 122 natural gas buses and thus places its cards on profitability, sustainability and reduced emissions. The vehicles are based around an MAN type A69 chassis. The two-axle low-entry chassis is driven by a natural gas engine with 310 hp (228 kW) and meets the EEV emission standard. Passengers can choose from 33 seats and 67 standing places.
The new CNG buses were produced in cooperation with the local importer, Kastour Egypt for Industry & Trading, which already delivered the first vehicles to the CTA at the beginning of December 2018. The delivery of an additional 60 vehicles is planned for July 2019, and the last units are to be handed over in the first quarter of 2020.
“More than 20 million people a day use public transport in the Egyptian capital; there is an urgent need for modern, safe and sustainable means of transport. Natural gas buses make a significant contribution to this, by meeting the requirements of modern urban transport,” said Adel Lünz, Head of MAN Center NWC Africa. “Furthermore, they impress due to long maintenance intervals, easy servicing and lower fuel costs.”
The CTA was also particularly concerned with the issue of safety, and various assistance systems, such as the electronic brake system (EBS), meet this need. The buses have also been equipped with disc brakes and an automatic fire-extinguishing system in the engine compartment, among other things.
The ZF Ecolife automatic gearbox with integrated hydraulic retarder combines sustainable driving with a high level of efficiency, and ensures impressively smooth running. Electronically controlled air suspension (ECAS) also improves driving comfort and makes boarding easier for passengers by allowing the bus to conveniently kneel on the boarding side.
