CBW has been given an exclusive first press test drive of the brand new Iveco e-Daily minibus. Richard Sharman visited Iveco Retail to put it through its paces
In recent years, the diesel-powered Iveco Daily has become the mainstay of many operators’ fleets up and down the United Kingdom, with body manufacturers making use of the chassis’ higher payload with innovative model options. The likes of EVM UK and Ilesbus UK buy a large number of chassis direct from Iveco Retail on a yearly basis.
The last time CBW took an Iveco Daily for test drive was back in October 2022 to test drive the then new Daily Line with Iveco’s 3.0-litre F1C engine, which meets Euro VI Step E standards, and driven through a ZF Hi-Matic gearbox. The overwhelming outcome of the review is that it was a joy to drive and that Iveco had really utilised the latest technology available to develop a chassis, engine and integral minibus that would have been a great addition to any fleet.
Beyond ICE
Having been around in multiple forms since 1978, the internal combustion engine (ICE) of the Daily has been through many iterations over the decades, but it has always been a solid performer and seemed more advanced than the competition, in many cases.
With all that said, manufacturers now have to see beyond the ICE and look to the future, but in reality, this is something Iveco have been doing for years. In 2017 Iveco launched the sustainable Daily Blue Power family. This unique offering gave the choice of three technologies – electric, natural gas and the most advanced diesel technology on the market that met 2020 Real Driving Emissions regulations three years ahead of time. It went on to be crowned ‘International Van of the Year 2018,’ and that same year Iveco sold a number of 16-seat CNG minibuses that were powered by the 3.0 litre Daily 50C14GA8 engine, which developed 140hp, the CNG-powered engine also being at least 4dB quieter than its diesel equivalent.
By 2021 Iveco had launched a newer version of the CNG offering which meant it was capable of a range of up to 510km The roof structure of the integral minibus had been strengthened to accommodate the roof mounted CNG tank rack, which had a capacity of up to 460 litres. The bus is compatible with biomethane, which can be generated from the recovery of organic waste; Iveco says using biomethane can cut CO2 emissions by up to 95%.
The eDaily powers up
Whilst a 95% reduction of CO2 emissions for the CNG option is a great achievement, it doesn’t satisfy the need for a 100% zero-emission minibus, and that is where the eDaily comes in.
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