[IMAGE]Setra-S-417-TopClass-pic-1FULL.jpg[/IMAGE] Through recent testing, results have shown a 10.6 percent improvement in fuel savings for the new EPA 2010 compliant Setra S 417 with Mercedes-Benz BlueTec engine when compared to the Setra S 417 EPA 2007 coach. Head to head testing was conducted in conjunction with Setra’s sister company, Detroit Diesel Corp., according to SAE fuel economy test protocols.

“This is a remarkable result and although individual results will vary, all operators buying our new EPA 2010 product will benefit from these potentially significant operational savings” said Tom Chezem, vice president of Setra sales for Daimler Buses North America. “Operators who drive their coaches 80,000 miles a year can expect to see savings of approximately $2,800 in fuel per year.”

The testing compared the all-new Setra TopClass S 417 with the EPA 2010 Mercedes-Benz BlueTec engine versus the Setra S 417 with a DDC Series 60 EPA 2007 engine. All other aspects of the coach were kept as similar as possible. Both coaches were driven side-by-side in both city and highway conditions. City driving included typical downtown stop-and-go traffic while on the highway the coach averaged speeds of 70 mph. The results are indicative of a highway and city coach duty-cycle, resulting in a combined average of 8.66 miles per gallon (mpg) for the Setra TopClass S 417 Mercedes-Benz BlueTec compared to 7.83 mpg for the current model.

Setra introduced the all-new Mercedes-Benz BlueTec engine for the Setra S 417 TopClass in February 2010 at the United Motorcoach Expo. The new engine represents a series of firsts for the North American market; it is the first motorcoach to utilize a Mercedes-Benz engine and the first to use BlueTec engine technology. The engine can be serviced at all Detroit Diesel and Freightliner locations.

Daimler first developed and launched BlueTec in Europe, where it has now been installed in more than 100,000 buses and trucks equipped with Mercedes-Benz engines worldwide. The Mercedes-Benz engine with BlueTec uses Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology to address the stringent EPA 2010 emission standards in North America.