In its statement, the jury of the category for the Sustainable Bus of the Year 2020 award announced that the award was given to the VDL Futura FHD2, due to the 100 kg reduction in total weight, the front leveling system (kneeling function), which is activated when the speed exceeds 95 km/h, and the predictive control of the powertrain.

"Last but not least, the coach manufactured by VDL Bus & Coach represents the best application so far of the new engine line consisting of the DAF MX-11 engine (in a renewed version) and ZF Traxon transmissions. Thanks to this complete package, the 13-meter, two-axle Futura FHD2 version has set various fuel consumption records, according to tests carried out by several European magazines."

Investments in sustainability

Marcel Jacobs, the company’s commercial director, sees the award as an important recognition of VDL Bus & Coach’s vision for sustainability. “In this era of increasing environmental awareness, it is essential that the bus and coach industry continues to emphasise that coaches are one of the most environmentally friendly forms of transport. It is an intrinsic part of VDL Bus & Coach’s DNA to continue investing in making all our vehicles as energy-efficient as possible. We are rightly proud of the ‘Sustainable Bus of the Year’ award and see it as a real recognition of the progress we have made with the Futura range.”

The Futura is constantly adapting to the latest changes, not only in terms of sustainability, but also in terms of optimised design and lightweight construction, all of which have a positive effect on reducing consumption. At Busworld, Europe's largest bus and coach trade fair, which takes place this year from 18 to 23 October in Brussels, VDL Bus & Coach will be presenting the introduction of video cameras to replace side mirrors. This is yet another example of an innovation that contributes to the sustained reduction of fuel consumption and thus relates to the central theme of the Futura: "Economics has a new name".

Sustainable Bus Award

The Sustainable Bus Award is the first and only European award specifically focusing on sustainability in buses and coaches. One of the aims of the award is to make sustainability a positive focus for the general public. The jury assessed various aspects, including safety, comfort, noise, degree of component recycling and the manufacturer's overall commitment to environmental issues.

The overall objective of the Bus of the Year award is to push the boundaries of what has been achieved so far in the bus and coach industry in terms of consumption, emissions and quality/price ratio. The award was launched in 2016. The international expert jury includes representatives from seven European countries: France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Spain.

VDL Bus & Coach

The core activities of VDL Bus & Coach consist of the development, manufacture, sale and after-sales of a wide range of buses, coaches and chassis modules, the conversion or expansion of mini & medium buses, and the purchase and sale of used buses. VDL Bus & Coach is a group consisting of several bus companies that operate in collaboration on the global market. Production takes place in Western Europe. VDL Bus & Coach places a high emphasis on quality, safety, sustainability, the environment, low fuel consumption, comfort and low maintenance costs. In the transition to zero-emission transport, VDL Bus & Coach offers turnkey solutions and is not only a bus supplier, but also a system supplier.

VDL Bus & Coach products are sold through a worldwide network of corporate-owned sales offices, importers and sales agents in over 30 countries. For after-sales and maintenance, the customer can count on fast, trouble-free assistance from VDL Bus & Coach employees in any of the numerous service units. The extensive distribution network ensures that spare parts and accessories are delivered to the requested destination as quickly as possible. VDL Bus & Coach is one of the largest bus and coach manufacturers in Europe.

VDL Group

VDL Bus & Coach is part of the VDL Group. This international industrial company focuses on the development, production and sale of semi-finished products, buses and coaches and other finished products, as well as the assembly of passenger cars. The headquarters are located in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Since its founding in 1953, this family-owned business has grown to 104 entities, operating in 20 countries, with almost 17,000 employees and an annual turnover of 5.973 billion euros in 2018. The strength of the VDL Group lies in the cooperation between the companies.

Valkenswaard, 18 October 2019