Zhongtong Bus

Zhongtong Bus Holding Co., Ltd. (szse: 000957) is a Chinese bus manufacturing company based in Liaocheng, Shandong Province.[1] The company is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and is one of China's major bus makers.[2]

History

The company was founded in 1958 as Liaocheng Vehicle Manufacturing and Repair Factory, and began building buses in 1971. After a series of name changes, the company adopted its current name, Zhongtong Bus, in 1998.[3] In 2000, Zhongtong and the Netherlands VDL Bova signed a technology transfer agreement to produce Zhongtong Bofa series buses.[4]

The company was previously owned by the state-owned Shandong Communications Industry Group. In August 2018, Shandong Communications Industry Group was acquired by Shandong Heavy Industry Group, and Zhongtong Bus became a subsidiary of Shandong Heavy Industry Group.[5]

Products

Zhongtong Bus' products range from 6-meter light buses to 18-meter high-end luxury buses, including road, urban, light, and hybrid electric buses.[6] It now also makes trolleybuses, and in 2021 provided a prototype model LCK6126E trolleybus to Mexico City's Servicio de Transportes Eléctricos (on loan).[7]

Zhongtong LCK6600BEV Series

The Zhongtong LCK6600BEV Series is an unlicensed clone of Toyota HiAce (H200) van, with similar body styles and overall vehicle dimensions, but only offered 3 trims in LCK6600BEV lineup. All trims uses hybrid powertrain.

This vehicle is powered by a hybrid powertrain, uses asynchronous motor and 35kWh battery that had 175 km (91 mi) range and can charge up to 1 hours, and uses 2.5 L 4J25TC TDi Turbo Diesel I4, 2.8 L 4JB1 TDi Turbo Diesel I4 and 2.0 L 4Di Diesel I4 diesel engines, in order to charge battery by using the engine to generate power.

The trims are BEV5, BEV4, BEV6 and BEV5PV trims. Zhongtong also offered as LCK6600BEV4 as only offered in normal roof, short-wheelbase variant. Zhongtong also released as a higher roof long-wheelbase variant called LCK6600BEV6 and panel van LCK6600BEV5PV for commercial use. The vehicle was released in China and Taiwan in 2014, along with a LCK6600BEV Series lineup.

Other electric vehicles such as Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe, Mitsubishi Outlander, Citroën Ami, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Volkswagen ID.3 and Mazda MX-30, Zhongtong's hybrid van would not fight sales of electric vehicles because of having producing many vans and bring them to many customers. Zhongtong named World HEV Van because it's a first mass-produced van that is based on Toyota HiAce H200 van but running in hybrid drive powertrain, thanks to the CHAdeMO charging port located at beside the driver's door, just like HiAce fuel tank relocated did it by Toyota.

Unlike all electric vehicles, the LCK6600BEV-series is all together with Zhongtong LCK Platform lineup and Zhongtong recently released the low entry bus called Fashion. The Zhongtong Fashion was released in May 2021, the diesel engine and hybrid drivetrain and powertrain variants. Released in Philippine market exclusively for Premium Point-to-Point bus services, the Fashion nameplate is based on the heritage exclusive clothing wording. The model code for Fashion is LCK6125G. The hybrid variant model code for Fashion is LCK6101HEV or Fashion Hybrid. Zhongtong also released a new model called Magnate, released in 2019 and revised version of Elegance released on the same year. The new Zhongtong Magnate's model code is LCK6128H and revised Elegance with blue strobe light on side window is LCK6118H.

This was the first Zhongtong hybrid van sold only in the China market. The LCK6600BEV5 continued production due to being popular demand of HiAce H200 van clone. The Jinbei Grand Haise are among the various Chinese vans from domestic brands that chose to replicate the Toyota HiAce H200 vans with only minor styling differences. Other brands include government owned manufacturers including Rely, Jinbei, Golden Dragon, King Long, Joylong and Foton.

Major customers

Zhongtong Bus' major customers include the city of Jinan, Shandong Province.[9]

Zhongtong buses are widely used in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. Most buses there run on methane.[10]

It is also custom made for TransJakarta, a Bus Rapid Transit system in Jakarta, capital city of Indonesia.

Asia

Singapore

In Singapore, the Zhongtong LCK6126EVG buses have been in passenger service since 2022 under ComfortDelGro Bus, alongside the BYD B12A03 buses, which are also operated by ComfortDelGro Bus.

In 2023, the Land Transport Authority received a Zhongtong LCK6126EVG (LTA trial) bus, registered as SG4010H, which commenced revenue service on 24 April 2023 under Go-Ahead Singapore. The bus was deployed on several routes operating in Pasir Ris Town, including buses 3, 15, 354, 358, and 359. At the end of its trial in 2024, SG4010H was sold to the private transport operator Tong Tar Transport, & deployed on the Mandai-Khatib Shuttle Service. [11]

The Land Transport Authority also procured a large number of Zhongtong buses as part of Contract PT601B in 2023. A total of 120 low-floor production batch LCK6126EVG electric buses were procured, registered as SG3401U - SG3520J, they had entered revenue service on 10 March 2025 on buses 86 & 159 & the last set to entered service on 14 April 2026. Two units of the LCK6126EVGS, 11.99 metre, three-door, two-staircase electric double-deck buses were also delivered to Singapore. These buses were featured in the global launch of the new LCK6126EVGS bus in Singapore, with one unit showcased at SITCE 2024. Which the Chinese electric bus manufacturers (most recently the BYD GTK6127BEVB (BC12A04) buses).

A brought first 3-door, 2-staircase electric double-decker bus in Singapore, Zhongtong LCK6126EVGS registered as SG4014Y, which commenced revenue service on 30 October 2025; appears on Bus 189, with interlined on bus 941. As of 15 December 2025, the Land Transport Authority procured a large number of Zhongtong buses as part of Contract PT602. A total of 100 low-entry production batch LCK6126EVGS buses were procured, registered as SG7210C - SG7309C. they are these buses would be entering service by 2027.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, Zhongtong N8 buses are used in Melaka's Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) programme in mid-2024. SBST Melaka was later renamed BAS.MY Melaka.

Several more Zhongtong N8 buses were also procured for use on the BAS.MY networks in Seremban, Ipoh and Kuala Terengganu.

Singapore

In Singapore, the Zhongtong LCK6126EVG buses have been in passenger service since 2022 under ComfortDelGro Bus, alongside the BYD B12A03 buses, which are also operated by ComfortDelGro Bus.

Malaysia

In Malaysia, Zhongtong N8 buses are used in Melaka's Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) programme in mid-2024. SBST Melaka was later renamed BAS.MY Melaka.

Several more Zhongtong N8 buses were also procured for use on the BAS.MY networks in Seremban, Ipoh and Kuala Terengganu.

Europe

Portugal

Zhongtong buses are present in the systems of Carris Metropolitana (Lisbon), Unir (Porto), STCP (Porto), TUB (Braga), Metro Mondego (Coimbra), Vai e Vem (Portimão), Giro (Albufeira) and Trevo (Évora).

Zhongtong was the best-selling bus brand in Portugal in 2023, with 209 new electric vehicles, taking the market by storm and dethroning Mercedes-Benz, according to data from ACAP.[12]

Portugal

Zhongtong was the best-selling bus brand in Portugal in 2023, with 209 new electric vehicles, taking the market by storm and dethroning Mercedes-Benz, according to data from ACAP.[12]

foundation	1958
location city	Liaocheng, Shandong
location country	China
area served	Worldwide
key people	Qingfu Wang (President and CEO)
industry	Automotive
products	Buses
services	Chinese service
owner	Shandong Heavy Industry
num employees	Approx. 3,000
homepage	www.zhongtongbuses.com/

History

Products

Zhongtong LCK6600BEV Series

Operations

Major customers

Asia

Singapore

Malaysia

Singapore

Malaysia

Europe

Portugal

Portugal

External links

References