Now more than ever, economic efficiency is one of the main arguments for bus operators. With the new OC 500 RF with Euro VI you lay the foundations for consistently low lifecycle costs – and ensure for your bus a decisive advantage over the competition.

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 plants meet Euro VI standards in all their output variants, display convincing environmental compatibility and compelling economic efficiency. No increase in consumption levels in spite of Euro VI – who else but Mercedes-Benz could achieve this?

The transmission technology of the OC 500 RF chassis is designed specifically for use in touring coaches. The standard 6-speed manual transmission, and the 6-speed automatic transmission available for many variants, offer a high level of ride comfort. Top-level economic efficiency and an extremely comfortable ride coupled with convenient operation via the gearshift lever come courtesy of an innovative transmission technology which has already proven itself in the Travego Edition 1: The GO 250-8 automated 8-speed transmission. The driver can fully focus on traffic – the transmission control takes care of everything else. And quite incidentally the innovative transmission system also helps to save fuel.

The designers at Mercedes-Benz are always striving to find pioneering solutions. One result: the integration of the new water retarder in the chassis’s innovative cooling concept. On the OC 500 RF the retarder is deployed in conjunction with all the manual transmission systems. It uses water from the engine's cooling system as a braking and cooling medium. The previously necessary oil/water heat exchanger is thus no longer required. And while the weight is reduced by some 30 kg, the continuous brake system's performance is improved. It only remains to be said that with the maintenance-free retarder lifecycle costs sink even further.

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. This system makes it easier to drive over obstacles or abrupt differences in road surface level as well as making it easier for your passengers to board and to exit the vehicle.

Drivers favour buses that make their work as easy as possible. The variable-ratio steering gear of the OC 500 RF 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.

On three-axle chassis, the front axle can now bear up to 7.5 t. This axle load increase makes it possible to enjoy even more freedom in terms of bodies, e.g. height, weight, axle load distribution and size of the fuel tank. On all touring coach chassis, the latter is now located centrally above the front axle and has a capacity of either 290 or 450 litres of diesel fuel. Both fuel tank variants can be enlarged with a 125-litre additional tank. For a maximum tank volume of 575 litres of fuel and customer-specific touring coach solutions for every possible application.

The OC 500 RF 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 OC 500 RF high-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.