TC9’s success driving numbers, but GT12 will form important part of market; 30 in total this year
Pelican Bus and Coach expects the number of Yutongs on the UK and Ireland’s roads to exceed 500 later in 2019 – and for the marque’s annual retail coach sales figure to stabilise at around 150 once the high-specification GT12 is established in the market.
It is little over five years since the first Yutong, a TC12, arrived, but Managing Director Richard Crump says the TC9 has proven to be the cornerstone of the range here.
TC9’s strength in numbers
“We never predicted the amount of excitement and uptake that the TC9 would generate. It took off exceptionally well. On its own, the TC9 has grown the midicoach market. Operators like them, and so do passengers.”
When the 500 milestone is reached later this year, Pelican expects that around 300 of those will be TC9s.
It reports that recent changes have seen a reduction in the TC9’s unladen weight; a move to the Cummins ISB6.7 engine in 320bhp form has also been well received.
Additionally, Pelican handed over the first GT12 to a customer last week when Nova Bussing of Rye, East Sussex collected its coach from the dealer’s Castleford premises. Cropley Coaches of Boston, the first operator to order a GT12, will take delivery of one this week. Mr Crump says that 20 GT12s are now in the country with 10 more on order.
Zero-emission TCe12 soon
With the addition of the GT12, and the decision to focus the TC12 on the cost-effective segment, Pelican believes that 150 retail sales per year are achievable. That figure will be bolstered by electric buses. Additionally, the first zero-emission TCe12s, for Westway Coaches, are due to arrive in June.
“The UK is now Yutong’s biggest European market. It is very keen to develop vehicles that suit our needs and we are seeing a lot of interest from operators in the TCe12,” adds Mr Crump.
