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Xiamen Golden Dragon Bus Co., Ltd. Recently rolled out a brand new coach model D8. While a first look at the vehicle may leave many people with an impression that it is just another version of Kast, the bus maker’s fist product. However, the vehicle will soon surprise you for its many dissimilarities with its predecessor. Not only boasting more awe-inspiring body structure, D8 has also completely different power system, front and rear suspensions with different lengths and changed interior layout.
Kast, as Golden Dragon’s classic van model, has been delivering smooth performances for many years. With a slender body, the vehicle achieves high agility on the road. However, one drawback of the vehicle is its limited passenger loading capacity. Given this, the bus maker decided to extend its length to eight meters, giving it more spacious interior room. This is how the vehicle got its name D8. Also coded as 6809, the coach has a width of 2,280 mm, 50 mm more than its predecessor 6722. The addition of a second door to D8 makes it more convenient for passengers to get on and off. The much larger space inside allows it to have 33+1 seats.
In terms of the chassis, D8 has its front and rear suspensions almost of the same length. Its predecessor, however, has a shorter front suspension and a longer rear suspension. Also, as the electric motor has replaced the engine and the batteries are mounted at the middle part of the vehicle, D8 now boasts higher maneuverability and stabler operation.
Engineers at Golden Dragon have also put tremendous efforts into upgrading the overall safety standards of D8. Firstly, its battery cabin is no longer in the way for safety evacuation. Secondly, special fire-proof materials have been laid against the interior wall of the battery cabin. Thirdly, smoke monitoring device and automatic fire extinguishing device have also been mounted in place just in case of a fire breakout.
Golden Dragon has also applied its All-IN-ONE product integration concept on D8. Specifically, the vehicle’s electric steering controller, electric pump controller, DC/DC converter, whole vehicle controller have been all integrated into one. The integrated controlling device has not only helped the vehicle lose weight, but has also made it easier for future repair and maintenance work.
In addition, D8 adopts China’s No.1 battery brand, ensuring the super long life expectancy. Its BMS (battery management system) will also keep a close eye on the operation of batteries. When plugged in under the fast recharging mode, the vehicle can be recharged in just six minutes. Even under normal recharging mode, the vehicle can be recharged in just one hour. Both its batteries and electric motor system have reached IP67 in protection level. Thanks to this, D8 is still able to work smoothly while driving in waters with a depth of 400 mm.
When developing D8, engineers at the Technical Center of Golden Dragon were confronted with a host of challenges and found themselves in a dilemma over the question of whether to start anew or make innovations on the basis of previous success. In the end, they came up with several solutions on the basis of the seven-meter Coaster. “Our aim is to provide our customers with not only a new energy vehicle, but a price competitive one even without government’s subsidies,” says Lu Jun, Director of Golden Dragon’s New Energy Research Institute.