Prevost Unveils the All-New H3-45
As the motorcoach industry moves forward into the new year , Prevost is keeping pace with the debut of the all-new H3-45 motorcoach at the United Motorcoach Association ( UMA ) Motorcoach EXPO in Orlando . The latest improvements to the motorcoach include improved aerodynamics , increased driver and passenger visibility , a more dynamic driver ’ s cockpit , reinvigorated interior features , expanded parcel space , and more .
“ We have three core values at Prevost which were instrumental in this coach redesign : customer intimacy , premium quality , and sound innovation ,” said François Tremblay , president , of Prevost and Volvo Bus North America . “ Customer intimacy means ensuring we have a close relationship with customers in order to understand their needs ,” he continued . “ With our premium brand comes a premium quality , which means less downtime for our customers . Finally , we want to innovate in ways that create real value for our customers . It ’ s not always about the latest and greatest gizmos – we want to bring tangible benefits for companies purchasing the new H3-45 .” Driven by those values , Tremblay said the new H3-45 offers major improvements over previous models in comfort , serviceability , and fuel efficiency .
Exterior improvements Perhaps the most striking feature of the new H3-45 is its exterior . With a sleeker design , the H3-45 ’ s aerodynamic improvements when combined with other features gives an overall 12 percent increase in fuel economy . Fuel costs are increasing year over year , and Tremblay said that this was a top-of-mind concern when Prevost went to the drawing board for the new coach . “ We have operators putting more and more mileage on their coaches , so we wanted to ensure that fuel efficiency was a major focus ,” he said . The front-end ’ s redesign includes a more tapered angle that provides increased air flow around the coach . Prevost also modified the curvature of the vehicle ’ s horizontal and vertical axes , while the new windshield slants an additional 7 inches inward ( compared to previous H3-45 models ) to reduce wind drag . The back of the coach features a redesigned lip to further increase the vehicle ’ s aerodynamics , and a newly designed electric entry door adds to the vehicle ’ s polished appearance . “ We have aimed to address the pain points of our customers ,” said Kevin Dawson , vice president of commercial operations . “ Over the past five years , fuel economy has been one of the biggest variable costs incurred by our operators ’ businesses , so we viewed it as a priority in this new model . The improvement had to be more than incremental , and we are proud of the up to 10 percent reduction in fuel consumption .” Prevost optimized the vehicle ’ s mirrors to be more aerodynamic and wind resistant , while maintaining a modern , sleek design . The new design also reduces backdraft and soiling , keeping the mirrors clean
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