I thought the same as well with respect to the weight. Put it that way, 400kg will bring the new London-spec E400 down to 11.2 tons, that's still about 400 kg heavier than the B5TL/Gemini 3 combination. I have to say though, the new E400 is always going to be handicapped by its larger engine, longer rear overhang and more extensive use of glass.
Have to say though, very futuristic looking thing, and much better than the rather odd looking Gemini 3.
The lower front facia is alright, although the A pillar looks rather large. There also seems to be quite an influence from the Levante.
The area around the front destination display is quite peculiar. While it does reminds us of the President, the way the three lines converge around the mirror mount looks oddball.
The top deck windshield is shaped like that of the current E400. I wish they used the Hong Kong-style front instead, with less curvature looking from the side.
The side of the bus is rather nice. It is surely a plus to retain the large windows.
The rear-end though, is quite a mess. There are simply too many lines packed together. The current rear-end design of the HK-spec E400 is spot on simplistic. There is too much black on the new design. It looks rather cheap, just like the MCV DD rear.
However, I must say that the interior is excellent. It is certainly very airy, and futuristic. ADL does excel in packaging on double deckers.
This is a daft statement. DB300 won't be built for Euro 6 and it is history as far as the European market is concerned - the StreetDeck is not based on a DB300.
Anyway, now that we have some numbers to play with, it's time to do a weight comparison on the existing offers and the types they have replaced. Note that the values are sampled data and, in some cases, speculative and will vary between specifications. As a baseline, I am using a TfL 2-door, air-cooled, i-bus fitted specification for all of the types. I have also included the hybrids for completeness.
Euro 5 (2013 built unless otherwise stated)
ADL E40D/E400: 11,625kg (Stagecoach London examples)
Volvo B9TL/Wright EG2: 11,840kg (Go-Ahead London examples)
Wright G2 DL (aka DB300): 11,661kg (Arriva London examples)
ADL E40H/E400: 11,920kg (Go-Ahead London examples)
Volvo B5LH/Wright EG2: 11,901kg (Go-Ahead London examples)
Wright G2 HEV (based on DB300 chassis: 12,480kg (Arriva London examples, built in 2009, Euro 4)
Wright New Routemaster (LT): 12,240kg (late 2013 built)
Euro 6
ADL E40D/E400 NG: 11,260kg* (speculative, based on ADL's claim of 400kg weight saving)
Volvo B5TL/Wright G3: 10,815kg (prototype)
ADL E40H/E400 OG: 12,220kg (Stagecoach London examples, 2014 built)
ADL E40H/E400 NG: 11,520kg* (speculative, based on ADL's claim of 400kg weight saving)
Volvo B5LH/Wright G3: 11,342kg (Stagecoach London examples, 2014 built)
The only ones I don't have data are the Euro 6 LTs (first prototype is coming through delivery) and, of course, the StreetDeck.
A couple of points I shall mention, one is I assume the 400kg saving that ADL claim is against the Euro 5 equivalent, which is the best case scenario. If that saving is actually based on a like-for-like spec, then the new E400H could well weigh some 11,820kg, which is quite a bit heavier than the B5LH. However, we won't know until the first example turns up in London.
Secondly is the E400 is evidently suffering more, weight-wise, with the move to Euro 6. The new Cummins engine which is larger, and the stretched overhang clearly did not help at all - a comparison between the Euro 5 and 6 E400H says it all. All of that is likely to make the diesel version almost certainly the heaviest of the trio (Wrightbus have hinted that the StreetDeck shall have similar weight as the Volvo). Obviously, the orders ADL recently raked up shows that the operators are not concerned, not now anyway.
This is a daft statement. DB300 won't be built for Euro 6 and it is history as far as the European market is concerned - the StreetDeck is not based on a DB300.
Anyway, now that we have some number ...
A few questions:
What are the implications for the demonstrator in Hong Kong?
What is the successor to the DB300 for VDL? Complete retreat from double deck market?
When will we see the transition to Euro VI in Hong Kong?
In what respects has the Enviro 500 MMC been designed to be future-proof for the Euro VI era?
This is a daft statement. DB300 won't be built for Euro 6 and it is history as far as the European market is concerned - the StreetDeck is not based on a DB300.
The weight reduction of over 1 ton has been achieved, if you read properly, by Volvo/Wright's transition from B9TL/EG2 to B5TL/EG3. Using that as an example, the weight came out from:
Chassis (~300kg reduction):
- Using a much smaller engine and structural optimisation (i.e. better body structure integration);
Bodywork (~700kg) reduction):
- Increased use of composite material;
- Smaller windows;
- Perforated internal body panels;
- Use of thinner glass.
I expect the E400 shall save the same amount of weight off the bodywork, although the amount of glass it uses - a major weight driver - is not evidently less than the old E400. However, like I said before, it always suffer weight gain from Cummins' Euro 6 engine, which looks to be about 300kg based on the additional weight incurred in Stagecoach's new Euro 6 E400H. So all that compensate one another to get to the overall weight saving of 400kg.
原帖由 Hongkonger 於 2014-5-4 03:37 發表
A few questions:
What are the implications for the demonstrator in Hong Kong?
It is not much than a new market tester. To me it is nothing more than VDL's effort of trying to breathe some life into a dying product, because nobody in the UK will buy the type anymore with Euro 6 coming in.
原帖由 Hongkonger 於 2014-5-4 03:37 發表
What is the successor to the DB300 for VDL? Complete retreat from double deck market?
VDL did not announce a replacement, and I do not expect them to because, counting hybrids (but excluding the LTs, which is always a niche product), we now have 6 types available for the market. This is a lot considering the UK double decker market is not really that massive these days.
原帖由 Hongkonger 於 2014-5-4 03:37 發表
When will we see the transition to Euro VI in Hong Kong?
In what respects has the Enviro 500 MMC been designed to be future-proof for the Euro VI era?
No idea, I assume only as long as anyone is convinced that Euro 6 types are not more expensive to run, which is a major worry of everyone in concern and drove everyone to take weight out of their products. I will be amazed if the E500MMCs are not designed to take Euro 6 engines, considering how recent it was launched to the market.
