Merkavim Transportation Technologies Ltd

Merkavim factory in Caesarea
Native name	מרכבים
Company type	Bus manufacturer
Industry	Transport
Founded	1949; 75 years ago (1949)
Headquarters	Caesarea  , Israel
Production output	760 (2013)
Number of employees	700
Website	Merkavim
Footnotes / references [1]

Merkavim Transportation Technologies Ltd., shortened to Merkavim (Hebrew: מרכבים), is the largest bus manufacturing company in Israel.^[2][3][4] They produce many different types of buses, including tourism coaches, urban buses, long-distance buses and minibuses. In addition to this, they also provide specialist buses, such as bullet-proof buses, prisoner-transport vehicles and VIP transport vehicles.^[5] The company was founded in 1946 and is jointly owned by Israeli vehicle-importer Mayer Cars and Trucks and by AB Volvo.^[3]

Bus models

Long distance buses

• Mars - Intercity bus

City buses

• Low Entrance Pioneer - Low entry/floor bus on VDL SB230 Chassis and Volvo B7RLE Chassis Gearbox Is ZF Ecolife and Man A69 18.290 HOCL NL Gearbox is Voith D854.5 and Mercedes Benz OC500LE Gearbox ZF Ecolife and MAN RC2 19.290 HOCL and Volvo B8RLE ZF Ecolife Transmission
• Low Floor NL
• Articulated BRT
• Low Floor Mercury- On Volvo B7L Chassis With Voith D864.3E

Coaches

• Apollo - Coach for tourism and special rides
• Apollo Premium - A new version of the Apollo

Minibuses

• City 22 - Minibus based on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
• CORAL - shuttle minibus based on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

Armored buses

• Mars Defender - Double rear axle

Special Models

• Apollo Premium VIP to business rides
• Mobile Library
• Prisoner Bus

Criticism

Involvement in Israeli settlements

On 12 February 2020, the United Nations published a database of companies doing business related in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in the occupied Golan Heights.^[6] Merkavim was listed on the database on account of its activities in Israeli settlements in these occupied territories,^[7].