Orion Bus Industries 'Orion II'

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Orion II
Orion II Diesel
Years of manufacture 1983 to 2003
Length 22 or 26 feet
Width 96 inches
Propulsion Diesel, CNG
Orion II CNG

The Orion Bus Industries Orion II was the first true low floor wheelchair accessible bus offered by Orion. It was popular for paratransit and Community Bus applications. The front door was a Bode single leaf plug-type and featured a flip-out wheelchair ramp. There was an option to have a bi-parting plug door on the rear with a ramp as well. The bus would be able to kneel at the front and rear. Another option was a bi-parting plug door before the rear wheels.

The prototype design of the Orion II had the headlights stacked vertically and a wider grill. This was later revised to a smaller grill with horizontally placed headlights, like those used on the Orion V, just above the bumper with the turn signals beside them. The Orion II was initially designed without a destination sign area, however one could later be specified above the windshield. A small sign could be specified at the rear protruding from the roof as well. By 1988, the front design was slightly revised with the headlights and turn signals moved higher and a ridged grill with three rows of distinct openings. The front end was more drastically restyled in 1997, changing from angular edges to more rounded and smooth forms along with a restyled grill.

In 1989, a CNG powered version of the Orion II was made available.[1] The CNG tanks were in an enclosure behind the destination sign followed by the HVAC unit. A CNG-electric, plug-in hybrid Orion II was built in 1992 and tested until 1996. It used a Chevrolet CNG 4.3L V6 engine coupled to a UQM SR218 motor operating as a generator. The bus had two UQM SR218 60 kW traction motors.[2]

The first Orion II was exported to Sweden in 1987, featuring a different round headlight style.[1] Other orders from Europe followed in Sweden and Poland.

Contents

Models

Model Number Total Seats
02.501 26
02.502 18

Specifications

Dimensions

  • Length: 22' or 26'
  • Width: 96"
  • Height: 113" (over HVAC) or 116" (over CNG tanks)

Engine

Transmission

HVAC

  • Thermo King
  • Sutrak AC-10

Brakes

  • S Cam

Steering

Operators

Canada Flag of Canada.png

United States Flag of the United States.png

Sweden Flag of Sweden.png

  • Boras Lokaltrafik - Boras
  • Gamla Uppsala Buss (GUB) - Uppsala

Poland Flag of Poland.png

  • Gert-Trans / Tor-Bus - Kębłowo
  • Planetobus - Kowale
  • Zespół Szkół nr 69 - Warszawa

Demonstrator and engineering units

Below is a list of known demonstrator and engineering buses

Fleet number Thumbnail Year VIN Engine Transmission Notes
June 1984 D5000001
  • 02.501 prototype.
August 1984 2B1229876E5005002
June 1987 5138
1990 5506
1991 5634
October 1995 5900
  • 02.501 model.
  • Sold to Unique Mobility (OH).

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The History of Orion Transit Buses. Orion International. Retrieved on 02 August 2009.
  2. ↑ Canadian Sponsored Plug-in Hybrids and Their Impact (report). Azure Dynamics Corporation. Retrieved on 09 June 2008
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