February 20, 2012. Four weeks into a five-week trial, Reading Transport has said its CNG powered MAN EcoCity bus demonstrator makes a perfectly feasible proposition on its urban-intensive Reading Buses operation in the United Kingdom.

   Reading Transport CEO James Freeman said the natural gas bus goes out every morning, and they do not see or hear of it until it returns 12 hours later - and that's exactly how it should be.

   The 40-seater 17.900 kg gvw MAN EcoCity bus is powered by a E2876 LUH 04 enhanced environmentally friendly vehicle engine, with a three-way catalytic converter, delivering 272 bhp and 1.050 Nm of torque.

   Freeman points to Reading Transport's 25-year history of trialling new engine technology, not all of it successfully, and states that indications suggest MAN EcoCity is a viable system for fleet acquisition.

   MAN's EcoCity was designed and constructed specifically for the United Kingdom market. MAN claims operating cost savings of some 30%, and the ability to run on the UK's fast-building supplies of biogas – thus reducing emissions to zero.

   A key part of the success of the gas bus programme's development to date has been MAN's partnership with the Gas Bus Alliance, aimed at assisting with the natural gas infrastructure required for successful operation of CNG vehicles.

   MAN EcoCity is also due to be trialled with other UK bus operators over the coming months.