| Foton C8L | |
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| Manufacturer | BAIC Foton Motor Co., Ltd. |
| Bodywork | Foton (integral) |
| Years in operation | 2023—Present |
| Operators | Causeway Link (Handal Indah) |
| Technical Data | |
| Length | 8.5m |
| Motor | Beijing EFUN |
| Battery | CATL LFP (255.5 kWh) |
| Accessibility | Low Entry |
| Emission Standard | Zero tailpipe emissions |
The Foton C8L is a single-deck city bus offered by Chinese bus manufacturer Foton (北汽福田). In Johor Bahru, these buses are operated by Causeway Link, having been deployed on passenger service since June 2023.
See also: Electric Buses in Singapore / Electric Buses in Johor Bahru
Background
Foton is a Chinese manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Based in Beijing, the company builds light, medium and heavy trucks, vans, buses, and other speciality vehicles, powered by either diesel or electric drivetrains.
The Foton C8L is offered for the electric midibus segment, at 8.5 metres in length. The bus shares much of its physical appearance with the older Foton C8/C9 bus model, which is powered by a combustion engine (diesel/CNG). Foton touts the C8L as suitable for ‘city branch lines and interurban transport’, with Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) traction batteries supplied by CATL, paired with a single permanent magnet synchronous traction motor.
Causeway Link
Causeway Link appears to have procured the Foton C8L midibus for use on its own bus routes. This is in contrast to the other Foton electric buses it operates, the Foton C10 and Foton C12, which were introduced as part of the Federal government-funded myBAS Johor Bahru scheme.
The Foton C8L entered service in June 2023 and is regularly sighted on Causeway Link CW7L, which links Iskandar Puteri and CIQ Second Link. The first unit sighted, JVT1246, is decorated in a yellow and green livery promotional livery. More units may have been procured and the total number of buses will be updated when more information is available.
Traction batteries are mounted on the roof and rear of the bus.
| Foton C8L – Causeway Link specifications | |
| Model | Foton BJ6851EVCA (C8L) |
| Registration No. | JVT1246, JWK7513, JWK7514, JWK7519, JWM6817, JWS6657 |
| Length | 8.5 m |
| Electric Motor | Beijing EFUN TM5023F PMSM motor Continuous/Peak power: 102 kW / 145 kW |
| Battery |
CATL Lithium Iron Phosphate battery (Capacity: 255.5 kWh) |
| Bodywork | Foton Integral bodywork |
| EDS | TBC |
| Passenger Capacity (includes Driver) |
20 Seated + 37 Standing = 57* Passengers + 2 Foldable seats, 1 Wheelchair Bay * based on interior sticker; reduced capacity if wheelchair bay/foldable seats occupied |
| Other Specifications | • |
Interior
The Foton C8L is a low-entry bus, offering step-free access between the entrance and exit door. The rear seating section is raised by two steps.
In the front section, the Foton C8L has three side-facing seats above the front wheel arch, followed by two rows of forward-facing seat pairs. The rear of the bus has just two rows of seats.
The wheelchair bay is located opposite the exit door. Passengers-in-wheelchair (PIW) board and alight via a manual wheelchair ramp installed at the middle door.
A backrest, retracting safety belt, and a dedicated PIW alighting bell are provided. Extra wall-mounted folding seats can be used when not occupied by a PIW.
USB charging ports (Type A and Type C) are offered for all seats. These chargers are of the PD/QC3.0 standard for fast-charging mobile devices and come with a dust cover.
Automatic fare collection equipment and fare validators are installed at both entrance and exit doors. These support the ManjaLink card issued by Causeway Link, and Visa payment is accepted on some routes.
Driver’s Cab
Media appearance
The bus was featured in a Facebook post by University Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) highlighting its partnership with Handal Indah Sdn Bhd.
Gallery:
