China Beiqi Foton Motors, recently launched an American subsidiary under the name Foton America. From its offices in Germantown, TN, Foton America will introduce its city transit buses, following nearly two years of assorted testing to adjust the buses to U.S. rules. Foton America currently has two CNG vehicles in the country; one of them is to undergo the FTA-mandated Altoona testing.

The Foton L40 is a low-floor model equipped with a Cummins ISL G engine, Allison B400R transmission, Goodyear Tires, ThermoKing A/C system, Lincoln Composite Cylinders and a Webasto CNG heater. The vehicle meets all Buy America requirements as well as all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and is EPA 2010 emissions compliant. The L40 also is available as a diesel-electric hybrid that features the Eaton hybrid propulsion system.

Foton America exhibited its diesel electric hybrid bus at the Alternative Fuel and Vehicle Expo in Las Vegas in May 2008, in a version that had run over 36,000 miles over two years on the streets of Guanzho, China. To that point it had not had a single malfunction or warranty claim against it. Foton America harnesses the best of AFV technology and will be able to offer a vast array of new AFV applications that include diesel hybrids, CNG hybrids, CNG, LNG, LPG and eventually hydrogen. The bus seats up to 40 people, and operators have the option of installing a WiFi system in the L40 for their riders’ enjoyment. The price of the L40 CNG bus is comparable to that of similar diesel buses on the American market, Foton America is guaranteeing a delivery time of six months or less when it starts taking orders in first quarter of 2009.

Beiqi Foton, a global corporation of over 28,000 people, manufactures over 500 buses a month from its Beijing plant. Foton America will assemble the American components on the Beiqi chassis from its manufacturing operations in Fontana, CA. Both Foton and Foton America are ensuring a global network support for their products.