ABC #397

COVERSTORY
FOTON FUEL CELL
So far we have
already sold
more than 600
units in China
and some of
the buses have
already done
more than
100,000km.
Above:
Foton’s buses use a
Toyota fuel cell.
Opposite, Top:
More than 600 units
have already been
sold in China.
Opposite, Centre and
Bottom:
Foton says its
experience in
hydrogen and
electric buses gives
it a competitive
advantage in this
developing market.
the new energy bus solution
provider in the Australia and
New Zealand market,” he
explained.
The electro-mobility products
being referred to in the short
term here are a 12.4-metre
hydrogen fuel-cell city bus and
an electric city bus. They will
arrive in Australia before March
2021 and be fully ADR’d, Wang
confirms.
“We are also going to bring
a finance and leasing option.
“We want to push the
new-energy vehicle[s] in the
public transportation industry
so it happens quicker,” Wang
explained.
“We are also working with
Australia universities to do
research on how ZEB will
impact our public transport
system. Everything we do here
is [because we] want to create
more local jobs. Local KD
we are focusing on bus and new
energy vehicles .By working with
Foton Australia we have all local
support and networking. Foton
also has sold many diesel buses
in New Zealand, but this will be
our first time to export buses
to the Australia market,” Wang
explained.
So what is Foton’s competitive
advantage in a rapidly emerging
and increasingly competitive EV
bus market?
an 8.5-metre low-floor city bus,
[assembly] is also on our plan.”
“The key advantage for Foton
and a 12-metre fuel-cell coach in
2021,” he stated.
LOCAL KNOW-HOW
is our experience in hydrogen
bus and electric buses,” Wang
“Together with our industry
While many in the commercial
responded.
partners [disclosed to ABC
vehicle market will be familiar
“Our first hydrogen order was
magazine in confidence
with the Foton brand in terms of
three units for the 2008 Beijing
given Foton Australia’s con-
its truck product, in Australia the
Olympic Games.
fidentiality agreements with
bus side will be entirely new as a
“So far we have already
them] we are going to provide a
local option for operators.
sold more than 600 units
fuel-cell and an electric city bus;
“Foton Australia has been
in China and some of the
electric charging station and
around since 1996 selling trucks
buses have already done
hydrogen fuel station; and
and vans. For Foton Bus Australia
more than 100,000km,” he said.
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ABC September 2020 busnews.com.au