Mercedes-Benz Travego Edition 1 is 'Coach of the Year 2012' in Spain

The Mercedes-Benz Travego Edition 1 is 'Coach of the Year 2012' in Spain. Alberto Fermoso, Head of Sales for Mercedes-Benz Buses Spain, was presented with the award by Rafael Barbadillo, President of the Spanish passenger association Asintra, at a
ceremony in Madrid.

Since 1998, a jury of experts from across the transport industry has voted for the best new commercial vehicles on behalf of specialist truck magazines Viajeros and Transporte 3 (Publisher: Editec).

Travego Edition 1: The first touring coach to meet the Euro-VI emissions standard
The Travego Edition 1 is the first coach to meet the future Euro-VI emissions standard, which becomes binding at the beginning of 2014. The Travego Edition 1 features the new range of BlueEfficiency Power engines, a new transmission with new gearshift, a further upgraded, ergonomically optimised cockpit, and new safety features. Customers with an eye to the future who opt for the Mercedes-Benz flagship can thus become trailblazers in terms of environmental friendliness.

High-torque Mercedes-Benz engine from the new BlueEfficiency Power engine generation
The engine of the Travego Edition 1 is a vertically installed in-line six-cylinder from the new OM 471 series. From a displacement of 12.8 l it develops 350 kW (476 hp) at 1,800 rpm. The high maximum torque runs up to 2,300 Nm at 1,100 rpm. These figures, together with the characteristics of the new power plant, guarantee outstanding performance. The engine features the unique common-rail injection system X-Pulse with pressure booster. This delivers extremely precise fuel injection with cylinder-selective control, high injection pressures of up to 2100 bar and freely modulated injection – the prerequisites for low fuel consumption, low exhaust emissions and smooth engine operation.

Additional advantages result from the highly effective three-stage exhaust brake and the asymmetric turbocharger. Despite exhaust gas recirculation this ensures rapid response to accelerator movements to the benefit of agile driving performance. The torque characteristics of the new engine permit unusually low, fuel-saving engine speeds.

Conflict between emissions and fuel consumption resolved
The particularly stringent requirements of the future Euro-VI emissions standard for Nitrogen Oxide Emissions (NOX) generally stand in contradiction to the demands for further reduced particulate emissions and low fuel consumption. Mercedes-Benz resolves these conflicting objectives with its unique new X-Pulse injection technology, in conjunction with a complex emission control system. This involves the BlueTec engine technology with SCR and AdBlue injection that has already been proven in more than 100,000 units being combined with exhaust gas recirculation and a particulate filter.

All in all, Euro-VI in the Travego Edition I leads to a further dramatic reduction in pollutant emissions - without the increase in fuel consumption that was initially feared. At the same time AdBlue consumption is reduced by around 40 per cent.

Euro-VI components have no effect on passenger and luggage capacity
For optimum weight distribution the developers relocated the fuel tank to a position forward of the front axle, in a swap with the batteries, while at the same time the vehicle weight was further reduced through the optimisation of standard production components (e.g. windows and air conditioning system). In this way an important target was achieved: Euro-VI buses should not show any negative impact on passenger and luggage capacity compared with the previous Euro-V models.

Ergonomically optimised driver's cockpit redesigned down to the last detail
The steering-column lever used to operate the gearshift is one of the most conspicuous modifications to have been made to the cockpit. This lever replaces the joystick on the dashboard used until now. It is used to control all functions and yet, because of the intuitive nature of its operation, remains extremely user-friendly.
But the developers have realised many more new ideas besides to optimise the ergonomics for the driver, for example a redesigned display concept. The use of pictograms, along with structured menu navigation via the new multifunction steering wheel, makes it appreciably simpler to access the various functions and displays.
The ignition and the engine start/stop system are controlled by a two-stage pushbutton switch. The switches in the cockpit have been rearranged according to function and their number noticeably reduced by assigning them multiple purposes. The joystick shift lever used hitherto is replaced in the Travego Edition 1 with an open stowage tray.

New safety system Attention Assist warns of drowsiness
The Travego Edition I is the first coach for which Attention Assist is available as a special equipment item. This is a system that registers parameters such as steering angle, speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, travelling time, control signals and driver changes. By correlating the data, Attention Assist draws inferences about the driver's condition. If the data indicate a lack of concentration and drowsiness, a coffee cup symbol appears on the display as a hint that it's time to take a break.

Posted in: Award,Bus/Coach,Mercedes-Benz