Prevost Car H-Series

Prevost H-Series
Years of manufacture	1985 to present
Length	40, 41, 45, 60 feet
Width	102 inches
Power/fuel	Diesel

The Prevost Car H-Series is a line of luxury touring coaches. It is currently offered in a 41-foot and 45-foot lengths. The second character in the model name denotes the number of axles, and the last two characters denote the length.

Design history

The first model in the H-Series was the 60-foot, articulated Prevost Car H5-60, which made its debut in 1985 at the American Bus Association's annual conference. Development of a rigid, 40-foot version of the coach followed and was launched as the H3-40 in 1989. It was revised to a 41-foot length, known as the H3-41, and launched alongside 45-foot H3-45 in 1993.

When introduced, the H-Series was a large departure from Prevost's LeMirage line. It was noticeably taller, more angular, featured large windows, and had smooth sides. Inside, the coach featured improved lighting and parcel racks. The racks made use of more moulded plastic parts and had a better handrail.

In 1997, flush-mounted passenger windows were introduced on the H-Series and gave the coach a more sleek appearance. The interior was also updated. A new parcel rack design had a smoother and rounder appearance, as well as incorporated indirect lighting. A new design of passenger service set was also introduced with improved layout and air vents.

In 2002, the H-Series received a facelift which was introduced at the United Motorcoach Association Expo. A new front end used round projector headlights on either side of a crescent recess above the bumper. A two-piece windshield replaced the four-piece design. The rear end continued the aesthetic with rounded tail lights and a curved recess for license plates.

To meet EPA 2007 emission standards, the bus needed to be equipped with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). When the DPF regenerates (burns particulate matter), intense heat is created. It was decided that the DPF would be mounted vertically with a rooftop diffuser to keep the heat away from passengers, mechanics, and debris. The interior of Prevost's coaches were reconfigured to keep the same seating capacity while using space for the after-treatment system.

The outward opening door on the lavatory was replaced with a sliding door. Prevost also added a new 17-inch central flip down monitor for the entertainment system to compliment the Prevost Premium Sound System introduced in 2006. At the 2008 United Motorcoach Association Expo, Prevost introduced a new steering wheel design that integrated controls that used to be on the dashboard. Some other controls were relocated to improve use as well. Prevost also launched a collection of interior design schemes: Essential, Exclusive, and Ultimate. The Essentials Line makes use of patterned fabrics with three different colour schemes: Spicy (warm colours), Peaceful (blues and greens), and Comforting (earth tones). The Exclusive Line has the same colour schemes, but makes use of leathers and synthetic suedes. The Ultimate Line has four schemes known as Boston, Wall Street, Dallas, and Harvard. They make use of leathers (including perforated leathers), double stitching, aluminum, and real wood surfaces.

Additionally, Prevost introduced the Volvo D13 engine as an option in 2008 as an alternative to the Detroit Diesel Series 60. Detroit Diesel had announced that it would no longer sell its engines to companies outside of the Daimler family beginning in 2010. Detroit Diesel later announced a reversal of their decision, however Prevost Coaches remain available exclusively with the Volvo powertrain.

Prevost introduced an updated front fascia for the H-Series coaches in January 2009. It featured redesigned and brighter headlights, a gloss black center panel, and a new bumper with room for four lights. The headlights are hinged for easy bulb replacement, and either halogen or Xenon bulbs are available behind polycarbonate lenses. Coincident with the EPA 2010 emissions standard, the rear fascia was updated in late 2010. The tail lights, in a red bezel, were moved higher and hug a Prevost nameplate. This is accented by lines that move down to form the recess for license plates. The coach also received more pronounced and sculpted wheel arches.

A redesigned instrument panel was introduced for the 2011-model year. It features and improved layout as well as new aesthetic. Prevost also added their AWARE system which monitors and notifies the driver of vehicle spacing. This includes: adaptive cruise control and impact alert.

In 2018, Prevost introduced their Electric Fan Drive in the H-Series. The system boasts a 4% improvement in fuel economy, better reliability, enhanced performance, and potential decrease in maintenance costs. It features six fans for the radiator and two for the charge air cooler (CAC). In winter conditions, fan rotation is reversed on a regular basis, pushing out snow, ice, and sleet. In summer conditions, fans are periodically turned off to allow debris blocking air flow to drop away.

At the start of 2020, Prevost introduced an electronic side mirror system, the first in the North American motorcoach industry. With cameras and screens instead of traditional mirrors, eMirrors boasts a significantly larger field of view and better visibility at night and in inclement weather. Testing the system since 2018, eMirrors will be available for early adopters starting mid-2020, with wider availability in 2021.

Also at the start of 2020, Prevost introduced Driver Assist. The system includes adaptive cruise control with braking, following distance alerts (both available since 2011 as Prevost Aware), frontal collision mitigation, stationary vehicle braking, lane departure warning, and a dash integrated heads-up display. Prevost Driver Assist will be available as an option for 2021 model-year coaches.

Prevost is set to unveil its next-generation H3-45 coach at the United Motorcoach Association Expo in Orlando, Florida on January 12, 2023, marking thirty years since its initial launch.

Models

Model	Length	Introduced	Withdrawn	Notes
H3-40	40 feet	1989	1994
H3-41	41 feet	1994
H3-45	45 feet	1994
H5-60	60 feet	1985	1992

References

• 2010 Prevost H Series Brochure, prevostcar.com, retrieved on 2009-04-17
• 2011 Prevost H Series Brochure, prevostcar.com, retrieved on 2011-04-24