| King Long XMQ6121G Hybrid | |
 |
|
| Manufacturer | King Long United Automotive Industry |
| Bodywork | King Long Integral |
| Years in operation | Did not enter revenue service |
| Operators | Unknown / SBS Transit |
| Technical Data | |
| Length | 12 metre |
| Engine | Unknown |
| Transmission | Unknown |
| Accessibility | Low Entry & Wheelchair-accessible |
| Emission Standard | Unknown |
The King Long XMQ6121G is a rear-engined single-deck integral city bus built by Chinese manufacturer King Long, available as either a diesel bus or a diesel-electric hybrid bus.
A single unit was brought into Singapore for evaluation in 2009, developed in partnership with ST Kinetics. The bus never entered revenue service and its fate remains unknown.
Background:
On 23 June 2009, the King Long XMQ6121G Hybrid was launched by King Long at a local ceremony. Developed in partnership with ST Kinetics, the first unit was an export model intended for trial in Singapore. It signified King Long’s interest in Singapore’s push for clean energy vehicles and its desire to enter the local market. At the time, it represented a breakthrough for a Chinese bus manufacturer to export diesel hybrid buses to an overseas market
The Land Systems division of ST Engineering, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Kinetics Systems Shanghai, had previously been supplying electric powertrain components to vehicle manufacturers and customers in the China domestic market for many years.
The bus was touted to have achieved significant improvements in fuel savings and almost zero black smoke emissions, which helped the hybrid electric system gain acceptance as a viable solution for the Chinese market and other export markets. ST Kinetics also worked with King Long on producing a diesel-electric hybrid bus for the Chinese market, integrating its hybrid electric technology into Kinglong’s low-floor city buses.
On 17 November 2009, the King Long XMQ6121G diesel-electric hybrid bus was launched at Singapore’s Changi Exhibition Centre. It was also reported that ST Kinetics and King Long Singapore would collaborate with SBS Transit Ltd on a passenger service trial for the diesel-hybrid bus. Future plans involved putting 10 hybrid buses on trial in Singapore with private bus operator Brickston Transport.
In August 2010, the King Long XMQ6121G Hybrid was deployed for the Youth Olympic Games, receiving a purple advertising wrap. In November 2010, it was exhibited at the 25th Electric Vehicle Symposium and Exposition (EVS) held in Shenzhen.
In May 2012, one unit bearing the SBS Transit base livery was spotted in Singapore, however, it remains uncertain if it was the same unit exhibited two years earlier. This bus had SBS Transit-spec padded seats, replacing the plastic seats of the showcased unit. Furthermore, the front section of the bus featured side-facing seats as compared to the all front-facing seats of the showcased unit. The bus was photographed below at a petrol station.
However, the trial never came to fruition. The bus never entered revenue service and its fate remains unknown. Other diesel-hybrid buses such as the Sunlong SLK6121UF14H, and Zhongtong LCK6121G HEV, were trialled by SBS Transit and SMRT respectively in 2010 and 2011 instead.
Gallery
External Links and References:
- King Long Hybrid Bus Starts Service in Singapore – China Buses
- A Hundred King Long Buses Serving YOG in Singapore – China Buses
- Xiamen Kinglong hybrid electric bus makes debut in Singapore – Whats on Xiamen
- Hybrid buses ready for trials in Singapore – Straits Times (hosted on Wild Singapore)
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