The Van Hool C2045 is the 45-foot member of the Belgian manufacturer’s C20 series, a family of touring coaches that Van Hool introduced to the United States market in 2000. It was conceived as a lower-cost coach for long-distance routes and was styled after the more expensive T21 series.
Van Hool C2045 at a glance
| Maker | Van Hool, Koningshooikt, Belgium |
|---|---|
| Series | C20 touring coach |
| Introduced | 2000 |
| Market | United States |
| Position | lower-cost coach for long-distance routes |
| Styling | similar to the T21 series |
| Engines (C20) | Cummins ISX12, Detroit Diesel DD13 |
| Earlier engines | Cummins M11 plus, Cummins ISM, Detroit Diesel Series 60, Caterpillar C13 |
| Gearboxes | Allison B500 automatic, ZF AS Tronic automated |
| Operator example | Greyhound, alongside MCI buses in Michigan |
| Successors | CX45 from model year 2014; CX45E electric from 2019 |
The C2045 is described in the C2000 series section of the English Wikipedia article on Van Hool; this page is based on one source.
History of the Van Hool C2045
Van Hool entered the North American coach market in the mid-1980s and built up a range of touring coaches based on the same platform philosophy as its European models. The C20 series arrived in 2000 as a cheaper alternative to the T21: it was styled similarly, but it was intended for operators running long-distance scheduled routes rather than top-of-the-range touring work.
Over its life the C20 was offered with a wide spread of drivetrains. The series has used the Cummins ISX12 or the Detroit Diesel DD13, and earlier generations could also be ordered with the Cummins M11 plus, Cummins ISM, Detroit Diesel Series 60 or Caterpillar C13. Buyers could choose an Allison B500 automatic or a ZF AS Tronic automated gearbox, and the coaches were built as integral vehicles by Van Hool.
A well-known operator of the type is Greyhound, which ran a fleet of C2045s alongside its MCI buses in Michigan. The model was also taken up by tour and charter companies, which valued the lower purchase price and the familiar C20 layout.
The C2045 was replaced in the range by the CX series. The CX45, introduced in 2013 for the 2014 model year, was a redesigned C2045 with a new front end, a new rear cap and a revised interior; it used the Cummins ISX12 until 2019 and the Cummins X12 afterwards, with the Detroit Diesel DD13 also available. In 2015 Van Hool added the shorter 35-foot CX35 with a Cummins L9, and in 2019 the all-electric CX45E with Proterra batteries.
Design and features
- Lower-cost positioning: the C20 was created as a more affordable long-distance coach than the T21.
- Wide engine choice: Cummins ISX12 or Detroit Diesel DD13 on the C20, with earlier Cummins, Detroit Diesel and Caterpillar units also offered.
- Two gearbox options: Allison B500 automatic or ZF AS Tronic automated manual.
- Integral body: built entirely by Van Hool in Belgium.
Van Hool C2045 versions
- C2045: the coach described here, the main C20 series model for the American market.
- Early C20 coaches: with Cummins M11 plus, Cummins ISM, Detroit Diesel Series 60 or Caterpillar C13 engines.
- Later C20 coaches: with the Cummins ISX12 or Detroit Diesel DD13.
- CX45: the 2014 model year redesign of the C2045.
- CX35: a 35-foot addition to the family from 2015.
- CX45E: the electric version introduced in 2019 with Proterra batteries.
The C2045 was the cheaper stablemate of the Van Hool T2145 in North America, and the double-deck alternative was the Astromega. More buses are in the Van Hool collection.
Sources
- Van Hool, English Wikipedia: C20 series, engines, gearboxes, CX successors
