Geely unveils new fuel cell and electric buses

Geely New Energy Commercial Vehicle Group’s (GCV) subsidiary brand, Yuan Cheng, launched two new zero-emission buses at a ceremony in Beijing, the F12 hydrogen fuel cell bus and C11 pure electric bus.

The F12 is Geely's first commercial vehicle which utilises hydrogen fuel cell technology and after a 10-minute refueling can run over 500km. Hydrogen fuel cell only emits water and is considered a zero-emission technology. The C11 pure electric bus is made for a variety of operational scenarios such as city commuting, tourism, and public transportation. Along with a high passenger capacity, the two new models also have the advantages of being quiet and economical.

As a provider of safe, intelligent, green public transportation solutions, Yuan Cheng provides a full range of pure electric, range extended, hydrogen, and methanol smart buses between 6 and 12 meters long. Along with a wide variety of products designed to meet different operational needs, Yuan Cheng also provides training, after-sales service, parts, charging services, financial services, and other comprehensive services as part of Geely's future smart three-dimensional travel ecology.

The new hydrogen powered F12 city bus was developed by GCV in response to China's national new energy policy and as part of Geely's continuing R&D into fuel cell technologies. Hydrogen fuel has several major advantages including diverse availability and environmental friendliness. Hydrogen fuel can be extracted from fossil fuels, generated as a by-product of chemical production, and from electrolysis. Hydrogen is the ultimate environmentally friendly fuel for vehicle as it emits no emissions and only produces water. In addition, hydrogen refueling is similar to gasoline or diesel, simplifying infrastructure building.

The F12 bus adopts world-class fuel cell stack technology. In real world operational tests, it had an energy consumption rate of 7.5kg of hydrogen per 100km. A full tank is enough for all-day operation. Through extreme environmental test such as extreme heat, cold, and high altitude, hydrogen fuel cell technology has been proven to be very adaptive.

In addition to its advantages of zero emissions and low energy consumption, the F12 also comes with attractive design, comfortable interior, and multiple smart functions. The model is available in both 12-metre and 10.5 metre long versions, providing a comfortable ride experience and bright interior. In terms of smart functionality, the F12 bus comes with real time remote monitoring, road condition warning, remote fault diagnostic, and other intelligent features to assist companies in scheduling and fleet management.

Utilising Geely Holding Group's experience in design, R&D, and supply chain management for passenger vehicles, GCV was able to develop the C11 pure electric bus to meet the diverse needs of different users. The electric bus utilises Geely's advanced lightweight technologies, perfectly meeting the operational needs of urban commuting, tourism, and chartered buses.

The C11 fully utilises Geely's suite of intelligent technologies such as AEBS Automatic Emergency Brakes, ESP Electronic Stability Programme, Electronic Rearview Mirror, AutoHold Automatic Parking Brake, EPB Electronic Parking Brake, DMS Driver Fatigue Management System, etc. In terms of intelligent safety, the AEBS Automatic Emergency Brakes on the C11 help drivers monitor the road and keep pedestrians safe. Together with LDW Lane Departure Warning, these features help reduce traffic accidents by 80%. Optimising battery energy consumption, the C11 is equipped with an IECS Intelligent Energy Control System which improves the energy efficiency of the vehicle by 16%.

Geely commercial buses are produced in two plants in Nanchong, Sichuan and in Jinzhong, Shanxi, which can meet the production needs of products in Northern and Southern China.