Expense of retrofit can be spread over ‘several years’ while gaining Euro 6 compliance at same time
Baumot UK and Mistral Asset Finance have announced that they are working in partnership to provide a funding structure for operators who wish to upgrade their vehicles to Euro 6 using Baumot’s BNOx ammonia generator.
In particular, the arrangement enables those that wish to upgrade coaches, but are reluctant to spend the capital cost to fit the emission reduction systems, to spread the cost over what the two parties describe as “several years”.
No coach support
Baumot UK MD Bert Pierlings says that the funding structure has been put in place largely because no external support has been offered to coach operators to help with the cost of upgrading to Euro 6 standards.
“That places a significant burden on them. We explored options how we could support the market, and by partnering with Mistral Asset Finance we can provide a solution that will help the industry to meet forthcoming emission controls in cities.”
Mistral Asset Finance Chief Operating Officer Guy Wadsworth adds: “A number of operators have high-value Euro 5 coaches and they have the difficult decision to make how they manage their fleet to continue running into low emission zones. Together with Baumot we can offer them a path forward, where they can spread the cost of the upgrade and remain compliant with new legislation.”
Euro 5 market is slow
Industry figures have suggested for some time that Euro 5 coaches have become less desirable on the used market owing to a lack of clarity over the certification of retrofit packages. It is understood that this situation will soon become clearer.
Baumot and Mistral Asset Finance say that the funding structure in conjunction with the BNOx unit will increase those coaches’ desirability as used purchases. Baumot’s BNOx unit works regardless of the temperature of the exhaust gas, delivering the same level of emissions reduction in slow urban traffic as it does at higher speeds.
