Headquartered in Beijing, Beiqi Foton Motors, LLC, ranks among the leading Chinese equipment and automobile manufacturers in the Far East. The company also operates from research and development offices in Europe and Asia, and conducts business in Africa as well. This fall under the name Foton America the company makes its foray into North America.
From its offices in Germantown, TN, Foton America will introduce its city transit buses, which will be on exhibition at the 2008 APTA Expo, October 5-7 in San Diego, CA. The company is presently getting its regulatory ducks in a row, following nearly two years of due diligence, assorted testing and squaring away U.S. government registrations. According to Jared Schnader, Foton America vice president, business development, Beiqi Foton Motors has proceeded very carefully in its 10-year history getting its products ready for these new markets.
“We currently have two CNG vehicles in the country,” says Schnader. “One we will exhibit at the APTA Expo and use as a demo that will tour major cities. The other is about to undergo the FTA-mandated Altoona testing.”
The Foton L40 is a low-floor model equipped with a Cummins ISL G engine, Allison B400R transmission, Goodyear Tires, ThermoKing A/C system, Lincoln Composite Cylinders and a Webasto CNG heater. The vehicle meets all Buy America requirements as well as all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and is EPA 2010 emissions compliant.
“In the emerging and evolving industry of alternative fuel vehicles (AFV), each day brings us closer to becoming independent of foreign oil,” says Schnader. “As more manufacturers answer the call, AFVs become more attractive.”
The L40 also is available as a diesel-electric hybrid that features the Eaton hybrid propulsion system. Foton America exhibited its diesel electric hybrid bus at the Alternative Fuel and Vehicle Expo in Las Vegas this past May.
“The bus had run over 36,000 miles over two years on the streets of Guanzho, China,” says Schnader. “To that point it had not had a single malfunction or warranty claim against it. We fully expect to see the same level of durability from the L40 CNG.”
Schnader says Foton America harnesses the best of AFV technology and will be able to offer a vast array of new AFV applications that include diesel hybrids, CNG hybrids, CNG, LNG, LPG and eventually hydrogen.
The bus seats up to 40 people, and operators have the option of installing a WiFi system in the L40 for their riders’ enjoyment.
Schnader says the price of the L40 CNG bus is comparable to that of similar diesel buses, and that Foton America is guaranteeing a delivery time of six months or less when it starts taking orders in first quarter 2009.
Beiqi Foton, a global corporation of over 28,000 people, manufactures over 500 buses a month from its Beijing plant. Foton America will assemble the American components on the Beiqi chassis from its manufacturing operations in Fontana, CA.
Schnader says with the manpower and capacity available from the parent company, Foton America stands ready to significantly shorten the delivery time transit authorities in North America have normally experienced.
“There seems to be an overwhelming tone of frustration from our suppliers, dealers and purchasing agents with the length of time that it takes to complete an order,” says Schnader. “We fully intend to change that.”
Foton America also says it is ensuring a global network support for its products in North America.
“The days when warranties were limited to domestic markets are long gone,” he says. “A new era of customer service is emerging. With agents in countries around the world, exporting with warranties has become
a reality.” BR
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