The combination of low-floor concept in the front part of the vehicle and raised-floor engineering at the rear makes it necessary to raise the level of the vehicle floor after the second entrance. The OC 500 LE allows you almost complete freedom in how you bridge the height difference between the two areas. This is another example of its exceptional flexibility.
Driving culture is of great importance at Mercedes-Benz. The OC 500 LE provides you with an excellent basis for low-entry constructions which impress both driver and passengers alike.
Surprisingly flexible, all-round high quality, consistently economical: manufacturers the world over put their faith in the OC 500 LE chassis for regular-service buses as the basis for their projects. With the Euro VI generation, even more impressive advantages have been added.
Mercedes-Benz has traditionally played a pioneering role in the development of environmentally friendly, innovative drive system technologies. With BlueEFFICIENCY Power technology, Mercedes-Benz has again set benchmarks. Now, the advanced technology from complete bus systems development is also available in the OC 500 LE and ensures lower emissions and even higher economic efficiency. That's because, thanks to the efficient and powerful BlueTEC® engines, the engineers have succeeded in further reducing the fuel consumption, despite introducing Euro VI technology. Plus, the usable service life and maintenance intervals were also able to be increased. That ensures excellent total cos of ownership throughout the entire life of the bus.
Now more than ever, economic efficiency is one of the main arguments for bus operators. With the new OC 500 LE with Euro VI you lay the foundations for overall economic efficiency – and ensure for your bus a decisive advantage over the competition.
The bus is one of the world's safest and most comfortable modes of transport. Innovations from Mercedes‑Benz have made a decisive contribution to this – and make the OC 500 LE a pioneer on the road.
The driver's workstation in the OC 500 LE is fully functional and can easily be adapted to your specific requirements.
With bus-specific provision, individual solutions and an extensive range, OMNIplus ensures your vehicles are always ready for deployment and your company remains operational.
There are chassis. And then there are Mercedes-Benz chassis. In today's fiercely competitive market, it's the star that makes all the difference.
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Legal notice on active safety assistance systems: Emergency braking systems and other safety assistance systems can support the driver and mitigate the severity of accidents or prevent accidents in critical driving situations under optimal conditions, within the system limits. However, irrespective of this, the driver has a duty to adapt his driving behaviour and in particular his speed to the traffic and weather conditions and to be attentive at all times. This applies in particular to special situations such as icy or wet roads, rain, crosswind, poor visibility, snowfall, fog, etc. Consequently, the driver, as the driver of the vehicle, has the responsibility for the entire driving situation at all times and must not rely exclusively on the safety assistance systems.
Assistance systems can only support drivers. The driver is always fully responsible for driving the vehicle safely.
The modular concept of the OC 500 LE from Mercedes-Benz is based on a tried-and-tested vehicle concept, and allows the greatest possible flexibility whilst also ensuring great variety. With a gross weight of 19 t, the chassis completely fulfils various market requirements and, thanks to the various body solutions, widths and lengths available, it ensures utmost flexibility.
The OC 500 LE chassis features efficient, high-performance and reliable engines which meet the Euro VI emissions norm. A great number of proven bus transmissions and a new driven axle round off the drivetrain.
Additionally, the OC 500 LE has impressively low fuel consumption, as well as long maintenance intervals and a variety of possible fields of application. Safety resulting from the most modern of technologies (ABS, ESP®, ASR) and added comfort in the form of a new display instrument for the driver and level control for passengers make the chassis a strong overall concept.
Design a customised driver's workstation. Thanks to its extraordinary flexibility, the OC 500 LE makes it easy for you to tailor the cockpit to your precise requirements.
The driver's workstation in the OC 500 LE is fully functional and can easily be adapted to your specific requirements. It can be variably set up on three levels. Plus the steering column and dashboard can be adjusted in height and inclination.
The electronics system also underlines the superiority of the OC 500 LE. It has a central "brain", the IES CAN (integrated electronics system controller area network), in which all electronic chassis components are integrated. All control units can be monitored easily using the IES on-board diagnostics system. This facilitates rapid, systematic troubleshooting for maintenance or repair, which subsequently reduces costs for the bus operator by cutting downtime and maintenance time. Other advantages include standardised interfaces for your electronics, as well as a modular electronics compartment with standardised connectors by the driver's seat.
All electronics systems are coded to avoid confusion. This ensures that your body's electrical system can be connected flexibly and without complication. It also gives you greater flexibility when positioning and installing your electronic components.
Design and build cutting-edge buses. The front axle module of the OC 500 LE offers you innovative Mercedes-Benz components, which have already proven themselves in complete buses.
Take advantage of exceptionally smooth operation for your customers. The front axle of the OC 500 LE guarantees premium low-floor comfort in the front section. At the same time it stabilises your vehicle body, preventing roll movements and ensuring vehicle track stability. The optional stabilisers allow you to achieve even better road-holding. The high-quality front axle increases the vehicle's manoeuvrability, enabling a 12 m vehicle to have a turning circle of 20.70 metres. The chassis can also be equipped with a pneumatic raising/lowering mechanism to protect the vehicle underbody from damage when driving over obstacles or uneven surfaces.
Safety plays a key role with the OC 500 LE. That's why the electropneumatic braking system (EBS) with disc brakes all round is included as standard. EBS builds up brake pressure so precisely and rapidly that shorter braking and stopping distances are possible compared with conventional pneumatic braking systems. The EBS also features electronic "guardian angels" such as ABS or ASR.
EBS makes braking as cost-effective as it is safe. Its electronic control functions extend the service life of the brake pads and ensure longer service intervals. Since the electronics systems routinely perform fully automatic system checks, the entire braking system requires virtually no maintenance between regular vehicle services – at the same time providing optimum functional reliability.
Drivers prefer buses with light, direct steering characteristics. The OC 500 LE is designed with his in mind. The variable steering gear is mounted in front of the moving axle components, outside the area vulnerable to crash damage, and is therefore protected against damage in the event of an accident. The steering system requires no lubrication and is practically maintenance-free.
The buggy centre section connects the rear and front components for vehicle transportation. It protects the individual assemblies and ensures that vehicle transportation costs are kept as low as possible.
The buggy is a robust frame that protects the cable harnesses and other components during transportation. It ensures that the OC 500 LE with its own drive system is manoeuvrable and steerable. The size of the frame is purposely kept small in order to minimise transportation costs. Simple bolts, easy and quick to remove, hold the frame together. Quick-release couplings hold the wiring harnesses together and leave sufficient cable length for the body. They also help you to begin assembly without delay. The OC 500 LE saves you valuable time even before you start work on it.
The driven axle of the OC 500 LE has already scored top marks in complete buses. Highly robust and reliable, this axle also delivers exceptional driving performance.
Customer satisfaction also depends on the ride comfort provided by your buses. That's why the driven axle of the OC 500 LE is designed to meet the highest standards. Guide arms mounted directly on the axle beam, for example, ensure optimum force transfer. In order to adapt your vehicles according to their respective applications, a choice of different transmission ratios is available. Your customers will also be pleased to hear that the driven axle does not require lubrication. Its operation is virtually maintenance-free – low maintenance costs are part of the package.
The combination of low-floor concept in the front part of the vehicle and raised-floor engineering at the rear makes it necessary to raise the level of the vehicle floor after the second entrance. The OC 500 LE allows you almost complete freedom in how you bridge the height difference between the low-floor and raised-floor areas. This is another example of its exceptional flexibility.
Low operating and maintenance costs are a convincing argument for a bus operator. With the OC 500 LE you lay the foundation for uncompromising economy.
The new OM 936 engine brings its 220 kW (299 hp) onto the road with the greatest efficiency. The especially compact and lightweight 6-cylinder in-line engine combines impressive performance with spirited response even at low engine speeds, and couples great running smoothness with low consumption and commendably low environmental impact. Compliance with the stringent requirements was achieved through a combination of common-rail injection, requirements-oriented exhaust gas recirculation, downstream oxidation catalytic converter, particulate filter and SCR technology with AdBlue injection for exhaust gas purification.
The OC 500 LE is equipped as standard with a ZF Ecolife 6-speed automatic transmission. It is especially adapted for use in urban buses or inter-city buses. The retarder is also standard equipment and is integrated in the transmission housing to save weight. It can provide ample braking force to stop at low speeds. It reduces the load on the service brake and thus also wear and tear as well as maintenance costs.
On the subject of cost reductions: engine and transmission reduce costs for the operator in a number of ways. Long oil-change intervals (up to 60,000 km) contribute to this, as does the easy-access engine, the maintenance-free transmission system and the vertically installed oil filter.
Typical of the Mercedes-Benz engineers: they are always in search of trailblazing solutions. Take the OC 500 LE engine cooling system, for example. The sensor-controlled and extremely quiet fan drive with its three-speed electromagnetic coupling is not just especially reliable; it also saves fuel thanks to its high efficiency. Make sure your customers stay one step ahead with the OC 500 LE.
A good feeling. Mercedes-Benz has already subjected the new chassis to intensive tests. These include endurance tests and hydropulser testing of individual components such as the axles and tanks. And the new engines, too, have been tested under the most exacting conditions ranging from the icy polar circle to the heat and dust of South Africa, for their use on complete buses or on trucks with a permissible gross combination weight of up to 40 t. The tests also include loads so extreme that they never occur in real scheduled-service bus operation. All for a single goal: the good feeling to know you have a secure base for sophisticated, economically-efficient, environmentally-compatible urban and inter-city buses.
Lower emission levels do not necessarily mean more weight: Mercedes-Benz has been able to implement Euro VI without increasing the vehicle weight. The new rear axle is just one of the numerous measures with which developers have been able to compensate for the unavoidable increased weight due to Euro VI. Additional weight savings came thanks to the new engine encapsulation, the lighter, more efficient alternators and not least through the use of high-strength steels for the optimised frame. The result: not a kilo too many - yet unchangingly robust.
In order for you to be able to save valuable time and expensive transfer costs before the first stage of work, the buggy central sector has also been further improved. Thanks to the redesigned transport module, the OC 500 LE with its own drive system is manoeuvrable and steerable, protecting at the same time the valuable components against damage during transport and enabling simple, secure handling. Quick release connectors on the wiring harnesses make it possible for you to rapidly begin with the installation of the vehicle body.
Mercedes Benz was able not only to keep fuel consumption at the accustomed low levels, but also to reduce AdBlue® consumption by as much as 40 % and oil consumption by up to 50 %. This means that in future your customers will be able to cover even greater distances with the 280 litres of diesel fuel and 45 litres of AdBlue additive. And the diesel particulate filter has filter change intervals of up to 240,000 km or after 2 years.
Development of the new chassis generation focused on the new Euro VI compliant drivetrain, implemented with the new BlueEFFICIENCY Power engines from Mercedes-Benz. The new power plant, that meets Euro VI standards in all its output variants already today, displays convincing environmental compatibility as well as compelling economic efficiency. No increase in consumption levels in spite of Euro VI – who else but Mercedes-Benz could achieve this?
The new Mercedes-Benz OM 936 engine brings its 220 kW (299 hp) onto the road with the greatest efficiency. The especially compact and lightweight 6-cylinder in-line engine combines impressive performance with spirited response even at low engine speeds, and couples great running smoothness with low consumption and commendably low environmental impact. Compliance with the stringent requirements was achieved through a combination of common-rail injection, requirements-oriented exhaust gas recirculation, downstream oxidation catalytic converter, particulate filter and SCR technology with AdBlue injection for exhaust gas purification.
The OC 500 LE engine is equipped as standard with the ZF Ecolife automatic transmission with torque converter. With its six speeds and a topography-dependent gearshift program, it makes possible exceptionally comfortable and fuel saving drive both in urban and extra-urban operation. The intelligent gearshift program detects and recognises different driving resistance and chooses the adequate drive program accordingly. Gear changes are fluid and the transmission always operates in the optimum range. For a relaxed and calm journey, enjoyable both for the driver and the passengers.
Likewise standard: the integrated retarder with around 40 percent greater braking output. It is integrated in the transmission housing, thus saving weight. It is perfectly adequate and sufficient for braking at low speeds. It relieves the service brake, reduces wear and tear and reduces maintenance costs. And quite by the way it contributes to greater ride comfort.
Focused intelligence. The OC 500 LE electronics system sets it apart from other chassis. It has a central "brain": the IES CAN (integrated electronics system controller area network), in which all electronic components are integrated. All control units can be monitored easily using the IES on-board diagnostics system. This facilitates rapid and targeted troubleshooting for maintenance or repair. This helps to reduce costs for the bus operator by cutting downtime and maintenance time.
Other advantages of the low-floor chassis include standardised interfaces for your electronics, as well as a modular electronics compartment with standardised connectors by the driver's seat. All electrical systems are coded, and therefore particularly difficult to confuse. This means that you can connect your body electrics flexibly and without difficulty. At the same time you have a free hand in the location and installation of your electronic components.
Traditionally, safety has always taken pride of place at Mercedes-Benz. All bus chassis are equipped as a matter of course with a highly-responsive, electronically-controlled braking system with disc brakes all-round, as well as with the anti-lock brake system (ABS) and the standard-fit Brake Assist function (BAS). It boosts braking force to a maximum in fractions of a second in an emergency braking situation, thus reducing braking distances. The ESP® Electronic Stability Program with acceleration skid control (ASR) helps the driver to master critical handling situations. Equipped with guardian angels all round your bus is safe on the road but in the city and in the country.
How ABS works: there are sensors fitted on all four wheels which detect the rotational speed of each wheel and pass this information on to a central control unit. If the critical point of blocking the wheels is reached, the wheel is stopped at precisely that threshold by pressure variation. The brake pressure can be increased and decreased numerous times in the space of a second.
When braking, all the forces acting on the wheels and the rolling behaviour are continually monitored. The braking forces acting on the wheels are distributed in such a way that no wheel can lock, and the steerability of the vehicle is preserved as far as possible.
In December 1970, Mercedes-Benz presented the world's first electronically controlled ABS – a revolution in driving and road safety. Thanks to targeted electronic braking intervention, the wheels don't lock for long periods of time. The risk of losing steering stability is minimised and, in the case of a full application of the brakes, the vehicle can be steered in the desired direction. ABS technology forms the basis for further developed electronic safety systems such as the Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) or the Brake Assist system (BAS).
The Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) significantly reduces the risk of the vehicle skidding and tipping over by selectively braking individual wheels or by braking the vehicle as a whole.
High-performance electronics monitor the signals from the ESP® sensors and constantly determine whether the steering commands of the driver match the actual movements of the vehicle. If the values deviate from one another, the system decreases the engine torque to restore stability to the vehicle. If this is not sufficient, it also brakes individual wheels or the entire vehicle. The driver’s request for deceleration is observed at all times.
The emergency braking system ABA 6 assists the driver by automatically initiating emergency braking if there is a risk of rear-impact collision with vehicles in front or stationary obstacles. It also detects moving or stationary persons and cyclists in front of the vehicle. The system reacts to this with an acoustic and visual warning to the driver as well as an automatically initiated partial braking or emergency braking.
With Active Brake Assist 6, accidents can be avoided even more reliably. The system covers the entire vehicle speed range and is active in the background. Up to a speed of 60 km/h, pedestrians and cyclists can react. The ABA 6 safety system reacts to crossing and oncoming pedestrians and moving cyclists in the vehicle’s own lane with automatic emergency braking. This automation also provides increased safety for cyclists, whether in intercity or urban traffic.
Sideguard Assist 2 is a safety assistance system that supports the driver in critical situations when turning right or turning left when visibility is possibly restricted. The system is designed to help detect moving obstacles within the system limits, and warns the driver so as to avoid critical situations or reduce the consequences of accidents when turning off or changing lanes.
The side areas of the vehicle are constantly monitored. As a result, vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists who may be in the blind spot are detected on both the front passenger side and the driver’s side. The radar system precisely detects the movements and warns the driver of possible collisions. The intuitive user interface and clear warnings allow the driver to drive safely and relaxed.
The rain sensor and automatic driving light are assist systems that activate automated functions by means of a sensor system and relieve the driver of routine tasks.
The light sensor increases road safety by automatically switching on the driving lights depending on the current lighting conditions and thus improving the visibility of the roadway.
Tyre Pressure Monitoring (TPM) displays the current pressure in the individual tyres and warns of deviations from the optimum pressure. This reduces tyre wear, has a positive effect on fuel consumption and prevents dangerous tyre damage.
The right tyre pressure contributes to driving safety and significantly reduced fuel consumption. Even a tyre pressure set 0.5 bar too low can increase fuel consumption by up to 5%. The wheel electronics are positioned on the valve on the inside of the rim. The sensors record the data relevant to the tyre pressure and transmit it to the display instrument.
Legal notice on active safety assistance systems: Emergency braking systems and other safety assistance systems can support the driver and mitigate the severity of accidents or prevent accidents in critical driving situations under optimal conditions, within the system limits. However, irrespective of this, the driver has a duty to adapt his driving behaviour and in particular his speed to the traffic and weather conditions and to be attentive at all times. This applies in particular to special situations such as icy or wet roads, rain, crosswind, poor visibility, snowfall, fog, etc. Consequently, the driver, as the driver of the vehicle, has the responsibility for the entire driving situation at all times and must not rely exclusively on the safety assistance systems.
Assistance systems can only support drivers. The driver is always fully responsible for driving the vehicle safely.
The OC 500 LE engine is equipped as standard with an automatic transmission featuring torque converter. With its characteristics, it makes possible extremely comfortable and fuel-efficient driving in inner-city and inter-city operations. The intelligent gearshift program detects and recognises different driving resistance and chooses the adequate drive program accordingly. Gear changes are fluid and the transmission always operates in the optimum range. For relaxed and calm driving comfort which both the driver and the passengers can really enjoy.
The OC 500 LE makes it easy for you to tailor the cockpit to your precise requirements. The steering column, for example, can be adjusted in height and inclination. Instead of a conventional gearshift lever in the cockpit, there is a joystick with pneumatic shifting aid on the right of the driver's seat. Easy to reach and to operate, the joystick guarantees gearshifting comfort to rival that of a passenger car. This eases the driver's workload and helps to ensure full concentration on the road ahead – a key contribution to driving safety.
With the OC 500 LE you ensure progressive ride culture for your customers. The front axle provides advanced low-floor comfort in the front section. It stabilises your vehicle body against roll movements, keeps the bus safely in its track and allows particularly wide wheel angles. A turning circle of around 21 m for the approx 12 m long two-axle version speaks for itself. The ideal complement: the new rear axle. Because thanks to a further improved axle location it transfers the driving force to the road with the greatest efficiency and ensures extraordinary ride comfort with its low-friction, quiet running.
A driver sometimes has to overcome obstacles on the way to their destination. That's why you can equip the chassis with a pneumatic raising/lowering system to prevent damage to the vehicle's underside when driving over obstacles. Riding over obstacles or abrupt road surface transition joints is thus made easy. The optional kneeling function facilitates boarding and exiting the vehicle by lowering the vehicle body.
Drivers favour buses that make their work as easy as possible. The variable-ratio steering gear of the OC 500 LE responds to this need. The more the driver turns the steering wheel, the lighter the steering becomes. This makes it possible to steer the vehicle with ease, directly and safely. A plus for handling safety, to which the chassis' particular economic efficiency can be added. The steering system does not need to be lubricated which makes it virtually maintenance-free.
In a coach, appearance is important, but inner qualities are even more crucial. The OC 500 LE has a lot to offer in this respect. For example, electronic level control means that passengers are comfortable the moment they start boarding, because it ensures that the entrance height of the vehicle is always the same, regardless of the load. The low-noise drive axle makes the journey much more relaxing for passengers. There is good reason why it has already earned top marks for use in the complete bus.
