| Hybrid Buses Come to Ann Arbor |
| Written by Philip Proefrock | ||
| Thursday, 08 November 2007 | ||
|
Electric hybrids, which use regenerative braking (using the electric motor as a generator to recover some of the energy and recharge the batteries while slowing the vehicle), are very well-suited to stop-and-go driving (which is what buses do). With the electric drive, these buses are 30% more fuel-efficient than similar conventional models. The hybrids being used in Ann Arbor cost roughly 50% more than conventional buses ($550,000 versus $390,000), but are expected to provide both fuel savings as well as lower maintenance costs. With the introduction of these environmentally-friendly buses, the AATA continues its tradition of leadership in adopting new technology to improve transit service for the 5.6 million annual riders and the community. Just the initial purchase will make the portion of AATA's fleet that is hybrid electric the largest in the Midwest. Hybrid buses are a double-win because public transport is generally more efficient than individual vehicle driving to begin with, and the regenerative hybrid drive is ideal for the way for those buses to operate. Since I'm a regular rider of the AATA, I'm looking forward to riding on one of these buses in the near future. links: AATA website Michigan Daily
Comments
(6)
Total benefits hard to calculate
written by A Siegel . , November 09, 2007
Memphis, TN purchasing new Hybrid buses
written by Mark , November 09, 2007
Memphis, Tennessee is beginning to purchase new Hybrid buses as well. I don't know if they plan to switch the entire fleet but it is nice to see a step in the right direction.
Historically Memphis has desperately lagged in public transportation.
quite...
written by ray , November 12, 2007
What is really strange about a big hybrid bus is that you never hear it coming... Think about that next time you cross the street...
...
written by anti.integer , November 12, 2007
Oakland, CA (AC Transit) is slowly integrating hydrogen busses into their fleet, and has moved many of their older busses to vegetable-based fuels. So glad to see this country's transit infrastructure finally greening itself, however slowly.
CMAQ!
written by Ryan , November 20, 2007
Thank god for CMAQ grants. Hopefully AATA will be adding to the hybrid fleet soon.
Hybrid Bus Powertrain
written by Ken Norman , March 04, 2008
I'm surprised that whenever I read about these hybrid buses no one mentions that General Motors engineered and manufactures the powertrain. I think it should be OK to give credit to a domestic manufacturer when it is due.
| ||
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
Science, technology gadgets and...baby seals. We're in a bit of an eco-mess, but we've got the brains to lick any problem. And that's why EcoGeek.org publishes up to ten stories daily about innovations that are saving the planet.
And if that sounds interesting to you, then congratulations, you're an EcoGeek.
This month, the local transportation system in the city of Ann Arbor, Michigan (my hometown), rolls out fifteen new diesel-electric hybrid buses in its fleet. Ultimately, the goal is to switch over the entire fleet (roughly 70 buses) to electric hybrids. Ann Arbor is the first city in the Midwest to announce plans for converting its entire public transport fleet to hybrids.
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Thinking about busses, while I haven't seen the clinical trial data to support this, there is much discussion of the serious health impacts of school bus diesel exhaust on school children (idling at the bus stop). How does one add into the fiscal calculation of paying back that 50% premium reduced health impacts from people getting blasted in the face with less diesel exhaust from idling busses?
Now, think about tourist areas? They would greatly benefit from such reductions in idling emissions. But, as long as the financial calculus is restricted to gasoline pay-back periods, the market demand/space for bus hybrids is much smaller than a holistic path would create.