Our next Q&A features EVM, which specialise in Mercedes Sprinter Minibus conversions. They will be showcasing the latest Grand Tourer, X-Clusive and Avantgarde models (from 16 to 22 seats), plus the latest Cityline Low Floor.

Company name: EVM

Year founded: 2009

Headquarters: West Sussex / Ireland

Main products: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Minibus from 8 to 22 seats

Yearly output: Over 400

Fun/interesting company fact: First company in the world to develop ‘type approved’ [ECE R66] Rollover protection for the Sprinter!

How important is Coach & Bus UK to you and the industry?

Coach & Bus UK is the biggest event in the calendar for EVM.  The footfall through our stand will keep a team of almost 15 staff on their toes for the full duration of the show!  It’s an exciting opportunity for us to meet with customers old and new and bring them up to speed on our offerings to the market.

Looking ahead, what’s the biggest opportunity for the coach & bus industry in the coming years?

The amalgamation of technology and hardware to deliver a seamless service to customers has to be the direction for the industry.  This convergence will yield results in improved sustainability, environmental and fiscal improvements for our end users.

Can you give us an example of what your business is doing to be even more sustainable?

Delivering the cleanest vehicles available today has to be backed up with a clean manufacturing process and EVM achieves this by reviewing every element of its build process continually to ensure we employ the latest, most environmentally sustainable methods. This drive extends to how we do business, including extensive use of video conferencing to reduce travel, defaulting to trains and public transport for staff when we do, and the development of a paperless working environment where possible etc.

What’s your view/standpoint on zero-emission vehicles?

EVM believes that zero-emission vehicles are the definitive goal for all manufacturers. However, to be sustainable, the offering must meet or exceed the whole life cost of the current Euro 6 offerings and this presents a considerable challenge. The current cost differential is being supported by grants and green funds etc but this in itself is not sustainable. The future lies in a flexible OEM base vehicle with a workable payload. Solutions are beginning to present themselves but it is early days yet.

In your opinion, how can the industry continue to reduce its carbon footprint?

The marketing and promotion of public transport needs to focus on the environmental benefits of sharing transport modes. The customer wants seamless transport as a service and this is the only way forward. They want to know their choices are having a positive impact on the environment. We need to make this decision easy for them.

What new tech should coach / bus operators be looking to invest in?

Connectivity will enable the technology of tomorrow. Mercedes-Benz are leading the way with MB pro but I believe this can be developed further with the standardisation of raw available data from vehicles, enabling adoption of new exciting applications to deliver the seamless solutions our customers require.

Why is innovation so vital to the future of the industry?

Today our customers can now avail themselves with full remote management of their fleet of vehicles and operators have access to data that allows them to tweak their operating process and systems to yield improvements in fuel economy, vehicle maintenance, vehicle tracking etc. Soon the adoption of AI to manage all this data will yield even more improvements. It is important that we stay at the forefront of this technology as an industry because if we don’t, other modes of transport will simply overtake us.

What’s your current bestseller?

Route 1.

What vehicles will you be promoting at the show?

Our final offering is still being confirmed but on stand we will have the latest versions of our Grand Tourer, X-Clusive and Avantgardes from 16 to 22 seats and the latest incarnation of our successful Cityline low floor.

 

 

  • Information supplied by Peter Flynn, Sales & Marketing Director at EVM.

EVM is exhibiting at Coach & Bus UK on stand D1.

To register for a free trade ticket, please visit https://cbuk-2019.reg.buzz