Mexico: King Long China delivers +150 CNG buses to Guadalajara
Allison Transmission played a crucial role in the recent delivery of more than 150 King Long CNG city buses to Guadalajara, one of the largest cities in Mexico. The Guadalajara Municipality has prioritized transitioning to natural gas vehicles due to their improved environmental sustainability, reduced emissions and lower engine noise compared to the diesel engine, which is ideal for the densely populated metropolis.
Allison fully automatic transmissions were selected by King Long and Guadalajara due to their ability to address the challenges of the city’s harsh road conditions and high altitude as well as to their excellent operational efficiency, reliability, durability and worldwide service network designed to meet local public transport needs. The ease of operation is extremely important in Guadalajara’s dense city traffic. The Allison fully automatic transmission makes it easier to drive a large bus with improved maneuverability and dynamic acceleration.
The newly delivered King Long fleet is comprised of three low-floor city bus models. The 8-meter and 9.5-meter models are powered by the Cummins B6.7G engine and either the Allison T270 or T280 fully automatic transmissions with retarders. The 12-meter unit has a Cummins L8.9G 320HP engine and Allison T325 fully automatic transmission with retarder, which can carry up to 92 passengers at a time. The versatile T325R transmission can be coupled to engines of up to 1200 Nm of torque and features six forward gears, one reverse and an integral retarder which optimizes service brake life and reduces maintenance costs.
Allison fully automatics are perfectly suited for CNG engines as they help to maximize performance and passenger comfort. Allison’s Continuous Power Technology™ delivers smooth and seamless shifts, which has proven nearly impossible for both manual and automated manual transmissions (AMT), particularly when paired with spark-ignited CNG engines. Additionally, Allison’s torque converter multiplies engine power to significantly improve startability, drivability and overall productivity.
