When Paul Aldridge, host of Australasian Bus & Coach TV, lined up a road test of the Yutong C12, he got two buses in one day. The C12 runs on diesel. Its sibling, the C12E, is fully electric. Both share the same 12 metre body, so the test became a rare side by side look at two drivetrains on one platform. Here are his opinions on each bus.
Behind the Wheel of the Diesel C12
Aldridge had never sat in a C12 before, and the driver’s compartment won him over quickly. Yutong had angled the switches toward the driver, put controls on the steering wheel, and placed everything needed for day to day checks directly in front of the seat, with no scrolling through menus.
“Everything is at my fingertips.”
That was his verdict on the layout. The air conditioning had its own simple controls for temperature and fan speed, which he rated a must. When a passenger is too hot or too cold, the driver can adjust it on the fly rather than living with a preset.
Pulling away from the traffic lights, the C12’s 340 horsepower made itself felt. Aldridge said there was plenty of power without compromise, and that a full load of passengers would not be a problem.
Small Details That Make a Long Shift Easier
Many of the features Aldridge singled out were the kind drivers notice over a long day. Electric blinds sit within easy reach, so there’s no stretching against a seatbelt to pull a blind while trying to concentrate on the road. The driver’s window opens, handy for fresh air or for reaching out to adjust a mirror, although both mirrors are electric and heated, which he called a welcome feature in a bus.
Climate control for the driver drew particular praise. He said he had never seen so many adjustable vents around a driver’s position. As a Blue Mountains local who admits to getting cold feet, he was pleased to find two vents down low in the footwell, delivering warm air where it’s needed on freezing winter mornings. Two small storage spots on the dash hold water bottles for the driver or hostess, plus brochures and flyers.
The 360° camera system, shown on an LCD screen, impressed him most. During the test it tracked a pedestrian all the way down the driver’s side and around the rear of the bus.
“Every bus should now, in 2024 onwards, have this feature.”
The camera is part of a wider advanced safety package that also includes an Advanced Driver Warning System, the TS160 door safety system, AEBS, ABS, ASR and ESC.
A Walk Through the Passenger Cabin
Inside, the C12 offers 1,920mm of internal overhead height. Aldridge described the overhead storage compartments as robust and strong. They won’t take a big suitcase, but day bags and backpacks fit easily. Two steps lead up to the rear of the bus, where the engine compartment sits below.
Every passenger gets a lap sash seatbelt, a comfortable fabric seat and a fold down armrest. Overhead, each seat has its own air vent and reading light. The vents move with a firm, staged click, something he said he hadn’t felt before. USB ports are built into the seat backs, with sockets he rated as strong enough to survive curious kids. One drop down TV screen comes standard, with a second available as an option.
The C12 seats 53 to 57 passengers plus the driver. For school transport, operators can specify 2 for 3 child seating, CCTV and an electronic destination sign. Charter and tour configurations add reclining luxury coach seats, passenger window curtains and a fold down LCD screen. The C12 is also approved as a Category 4 bus by Transport for NSW.
Outside and Under the Skin
From the outside, Aldridge’s first impression was European, with sleek headlights and wraparound taillights. Access doors on both sides reach the 400 litre diesel tank for servicing, washing or inspection. The full through luggage bins, floored with plain, strong timber, can safely carry 800 kilos of luggage.
The three piece bumper looks plain at first glance but turned out to be one of his favourite practical touches. If a corner gets knocked, only that panel needs replacing, not the whole bumper.
Power comes from a Cummins six cylinder 8.9 litre engine producing 340 horsepower and 1,600Nm of torque, with belts, the air con compressor and daily check points all easy to reach. The engine also meets Euro VI emissions standards. On the road, the balance impressed him.
“It’s not overpowered. It’s not underpowered. I think it’s just right at the sweet spot.”
Switching to the Electric C12E
Next came the C12E. Its battery system uses 10 packs, which Aldridge described as a 350 kilowatt system, protected by heavy vertical intrusion bars. Charge ports sit on both sides of the bus. The batteries cost some luggage room, as the C12E gives up about half a bin of storage compared with the diesel.
He also pointed out a nitrogen system designed to help in the event of a thermal event, a 24 volt system with an isolation switch just like the diesel C12, and a rear bay housing the battery management system, power control unit and their cooling, with coolant levels easy to check.
The drive motor is rated at 150kW with a peak of 350kW on take off, and delivers a massive 3,200Nm of torque. Regenerative braking recovers up to 350kW, so what the bus draws out it can put back in. Slowing to 40km/h through a country town, Aldridge could feel the regen at work.
“Going from the C12 to the C12E is night and day.”
The power steering allowed one handed turning, and at 80km/h on country roads with a few inclines the bus had plenty of power. Without engine noise, he said the cabin felt more solid and “very encapsulated”, and well suited to day charters.
The Verdict
Aldridge’s summary was clear. The diesel C12 is a great all rounder, suited to charters, long distance work, school runs and mining.
“The electric bus is on another level.”
Quiet, pleasant to drive and different even in the way it brakes, the C12E comes wrapped in the same exterior package. The two buses look the same. They just drive very differently.
Operators agree. Tropic Wings Cairns Tours says of the C12, “Give me a Yutong any day and I’ll take it.” MacArthur Anglican School says its Yutong has never broken down during a run.
You can watch Paul Aldridge’s full road test, learn more about the C12’s specifications, and book your own trial by visiting our Yutong C12 page.
