Busworld and the American Bus Association welcomed coach and bus operators in Huntington Place in Hall B from Feb. 4-7 at Busworld North America 2023.

In its latest news release, Busworld provided a look at the trade show and the conference sessions.

On Display

ABC Companies presented the Van Hool CX35. Within the CX line, they deliver electric coaches in the American market that offer an autonomy of around 200 miles per charge.

ABC Companies also offers last-mile electric mobility. On show was a Sunset Ford Transit Van EV.

MCI presented the J4500 Clean Diesel and the J4500 Charge, an electric coach with a range of more than 230 miles and advanced security features. Its zero-emission technology is coming from its partner New Flyer.

Temsa showed off the TS45 powered by a Cummins X12 engine.

Mercedes-Benz officially presented its Tourrider at Busworld North America, a 45-foot coach in two versions: business and premium. The powertrain is powered by the 13-liter engine, coupled to the Allison WTB 500R automatic gearbox.

Prevost launched a luxury coach with advanced safety and performance features: the H3-45. The platform is equipped with the Volvo D13 engine. The Allison six-speed automatic transmission is standard equipment.

Ultra Coach Inc. presented a proposal beyond the traditional truck-based “cutaway” buses. The 45-foot luxury vehicle with a capacity for 56 passengers is developed on the Freightliner platform. The suspension has been modified incorporating a pneumatic system, and the interior was designed to meet the needs of schools and colleges.

On Topic

The main topic of conversation at the event was energy transition.

By 2024, the TCO per mile of battery-electric buses is estimated to drop below the TCO of diesel buses. The TCO per mile of fuel cell buses will become cheaper than the TCO of battery electric buses by 2030, according to Busworld.

Companies also discussed the North American market situation. 

The North American bus, motorcoach, and school bus market is estimated at a production of 8,100 units per year. Zero-emission bus sales in the U.S. and Canada are growing and are estimated to represent 25% by 2027 (within the motorcoach segment only 8%).

Digitalization was another main point at the event.

Autonomous buses are only being implemented in private areas such as university campuses (like Karsan at the Michigan State University with a level four bus), hospitals, etc. Most bus manufacturers deliver level two autonomy buses (ADAS) and are in a test phase with level four vehicles.