Electric buses - Zero Emission

wbj · September 18, 2016, 07:17:44 AM

Are BCC running a hybrid bus on the free loop? One seems to take off on battery power and the diesel engine cuts in after a few seconds.

ozbob · September 18, 2016, 07:22:14 AM

Quote from: wbj on September 18, 2016, 07:17:44 AM
Are BCC running a hybrid bus on the free loop? One seems to take off on battery power and the diesel engine cuts in after a few seconds.

Not that I am aware of. Anyone know?

James · September 18, 2016, 13:18:57 PM

Quote from: wbj on September 18, 2016, 07:17:44 AM
Are BCC running a hybrid bus on the free loop? One seems to take off on battery power and the diesel engine cuts in after a few seconds.

BT are currently trialling hybrid buses - T1595 is one, there are a few others out on the network too. T1595 is currently running on the free loop.

ozbob · September 18, 2016, 14:48:38 PM

^ thanks!

SurfRail · September 18, 2016, 16:34:25 PM

1595 is the only hybrid in the fleet (a Volvo) - it's in the red CBD loop livery.

1595 and the Citaro (1599) are the only buses I consider to have properly configured doors (wide, unobstructed twin-leaf x 2). The 14.5m models either have too small a door aperture (the 8 Scanias) or have poles in the way (the 149 Volvos), and the artics only have 2 doors where they should have at least 3. Everything else has a single leaf side door narrower than 1m which makes it impossible to be used by more than 1 person at a time, and hence precludes them ever being used for effective boarding and alighting.

ozbob · September 23, 2016, 18:30:03 PM

BusRide --> Electric bus developments in Europe

ozbob · October 05, 2016, 03:30:27 AM

#Spain's first 18-metre full electric buses w/ space for 110 pax go live in #Barcelona as part of the @zeeusproject: https://t.co/Yy1EkaH4ty pic.twitter.com/BepNDWDyXj
— UITP Press Office (@UITPpressoffice) October 4, 2016

ozbob · November 27, 2016, 06:54:56 AM

Mass Transit --> Vossloh Kiepe Supplies 14 Electric Dual-Mode Buses to Sardinia

QuoteThe public transport company Consorzio Trasporti e Mobilità (CTM) in Cagliari has released a 4.5 km long line extension of its electric bus system without overhead contact line along the coast. Vossloh Kiepe and Van Hool delivered 14 electric dual-mode buses. Four of them have been equipped with the powerful lithium-titanate-oxide (LTO) batteries. These batteries are charged when the buses are operated via the overhead contact line (in-motion charging - IMC) or at the terminal in the form of opportunity charging.

The electric bus with LTO battery for IMC is 12 metre long and can transport 85 passengers plus the driver. Thanks to the usable energy of the LTO batteries of more than 18.5 kWh and a peak power of 120 kW the buses can also accelerate powerfully in the sections without overhead contact line. Therefore, they can easily be operated fully without overhead contact line in both directions of the line extension, i.e. altogether over a length of 9 kilometers.

The opportunity charging at the terminal during the driver's break prolongs the life time of the batteries because they are discharged to a lesser degree. The IMC trolleys are used for the opportunity charging as they can automatically dock into the funnels of the charging station. Moreover, the buses have been equipped with AC charging plugs so that they can be charged in the depot when they are serviced. Generally, the batteries are charged during the journeys under the overhead contact line so that the electric buses return to the depot with fully charged batteries in the evening.

This kind of line extension is a novelty and has been realised within the scope of the European research project ZeEUS (Zero Emission Urban Bus System) coordinated by the UITP (International Association of Public Transport).

aldonius · February 16, 2017, 00:49:24 AM

https://cleantechnica.com/2017/02/14/sydney-airport-transportation-provider-carbridge-orders-40-byd-electric-buses/

QuoteCarbridge, the onsite provider of airport ground transportation services for the Sydney Airport, announced that it has placed orders for 40 more pure electric buses from BYD. The contract was finalized at the end of January — just 3 months after the first BYD Electric Blu bus was first put to use at the Sydney Airport.

ozbob · February 19, 2017, 13:42:20 PM

Clean Technica --> Luxembourg City Electrifies Bus Routes With New ABB Fast Chargers

QuoteABB announced on Tuesday that it has brought two new fast chargers to Luxembourg City's central station as part of the rollout of a new plug-in hybrid bus system in the city.

Instead of plugging in with a cable, the system utilizes a pantograph — which is the flexible hinged assembly that enables the stationary charger to connect to the bus — to deliver 150 kW of power to the bus during the 3–6 minute layovers that bookend the routes.

These new chargers are novel, as they make use of the OppCharge open interface for automated charging of electric buses ... from any manufacturer. These ABB fast chargers are also backed by the cloud, which enables remote diagnostics and management, with capability for over-the-air updates to maximize the value and insights customers get from the units.

In addition to being smart, these chargers were designed with hardware flexibility in mind. What? Yeah, you heard that right. These things are built to be able to scale up because they are modular, allowing for module upgrades to 300 kW and even 450 kW if (or when) needed.

As cities look to the future for transportation planning, this type of flexibility ensures that the chargers can support the move to fully electric buses, which are sure to come with larger batteries and faster charging speeds.

The City of Luxembourg is looking to the future and sees this installation as yet another step in a long journey towards the low-carbon, sustainable future its leaders envision. First Deputy Mayor of the City of Luxembourg Sam Tanson said:

"This ambitious pioneering project represents the starting point in our endeavor to a zero emission urban bus system for the City of Luxembourg in the near future."

Speaking to the flexibility of the system, this particular installation makes use of 5 electric hybrid buses from Volvo that, admittedly, will not make full use of the system — which could support a fully electric bus fleet.

On the upside, the fact that these chargers are now installed and have the capability to upgrade to support faster speeds means an upgrade to a fully electric bus fleet in the future would be more affordable ... so there's that.

ABB has a long history with fast chargers, with around 5,000 fast chargers installed around the world for passenger vehicles, and it is now applying that experience to electric bus charging. ABB has commissioned similar OppCharge opportunity chargers for hybrid and fully electric buses previously in Luxembourg, Sweden, and Belgium, with more orders in the works.

To better understand this particular installation, here's a bit more detail about the Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid buses utilized in this installation:

Can be powered by electricity for up to 70% of operating time
Quiet and exhaust-free when running on electricity
60% lower energy consumption* than a corresponding diesel bus
75 to 90% lower emissions of carbon dioxide* compared with a conventional diesel bus, depending on the fuel used
Equipped with an electric motor, batteries and a small diesel engine
The batteries are recharged in 3-6 minutes at the route's end stations *Estimated value on a city bus route of 10 kilometers, compared to a diesel bus Euro 6.

verbatim9 · February 19, 2017, 15:33:51 PM

We can run those on the Busway have a fast charger at Eight Mile Plains, Roma St and at Ernie's Roundabout at RBH or Herston?

aldonius · February 19, 2017, 22:00:56 PM

Quote from: verbatim9 on February 19, 2017, 15:33:51 PM
We can run those on the Busway have a fast charger at Eight Mile Plains, Roma St and at Ernie's Roundabout at RBH or Herston?

And at Lakes or Woolloongabba. And on a fair number of other routes too with a layover area at the terminus.

60 and 199 are probably electrifiable with this tech.

ozbob · March 11, 2017, 02:47:08 AM

France: Alstom and NTL launch Aptis electric bus prototype https://t.co/oupcBtDRsG pic.twitter.com/Wfgmueqm9h
— Metro Report (@MetroReportInt) March 10, 2017

ozbob · March 19, 2017, 09:39:59 AM

The Hindu --> Australia offers help to run electric buses

QuoteThe Australian government came forward to extend its support to Andhra Pradesh in buying and operating electric buses besides also assisting the State in the development of mining and engineering sectors.

An Australian delegation led by Consul-General for South India Sean Kelly made those proposals to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during their discussions on possible collaborations between the two governments, at the Interim Government Complex at Velagapudi on Friday.

The visiting trade delegation offered to set up a mining institute in the State with the cooperation of the Curtin University of Australia and to rope in the manufacturers in Australia to supply electric buses to A.P. They said some Australian companies were manufacturing electric buses which ran up to 1,000 kilometres on a single charge. Chief Minister's Chief Secretary Sai Prasad and Principal Secretary (infrastructure and investments and energy) Ajay Jain were among those present

ozbob · March 19, 2017, 09:52:22 AM

Brampton Guardian --> Electric buses to hit Brampton roads by 2018

QuoteThe future is electric for Brampton Transit.

Council has given the city's transit authority the green light to purchase up to 10 battery-electric buses and four high-powered overhead electric charging stations as part of a multimillion dollar trial run aimed at lowering carbon emissions and fuel costs.

The $13.6 million capital project is part of the Pan-Ontario Electric Bus Demonstration and Integration Trial, "a unique partnership model" made up of multiple levels of government, bus manufacturers and other stakeholders, including the Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC). Automation firms ABB and Siemens will build the charging stations.

The new 100 per cent battery electric buses will be launched on two existing conventional routes in Brampton, routes 23 Sandalwood and 26 Mount Pleasant, with new overhead charging stations at the Mount Pleasant Village terminal, the Queen Street/ Highway 50 Züm station, and the Sandalwood Transit Facility.

New Flyer Industries and NOVA Bus will supply the buses, which could hit Brampton's streets as early as spring 2018. Other levels of government are expected to offset some of the costs, according to a staff report.

"As a fast-growing Canadian city undergoing major urban intensification, Brampton's public transit users expect and deserve leading-edge technology and superior services," said Mayor Linda Jeffrey, stressing a need for transit solutions that are "environmentally friendly and help move our people more efficiently."

Josipa Petrunic, CUTRIC executive director and CEO, said the pilot effort will show "the world Canada is a leader in driving down emissions, improving transportation, and creating greener, cleaner and more mobile communities."

Brampton Transit currently operates a fleet of 407 buses, including conventional diesel and 99 diesel-electric hybrid Züm buses.

Transit staff said the electric bus trial would allow the city to compare efficiencies, maintenance costs "and validate electric vehicle technology as a viable alternative fuel source".

Brampton Transit spent $10.8 million on diesel fuel last year. Under the Province's new cap-and-trade system, fuel costs in 2017 are expected to increase by an estimated $570,000 annually (anticipated carbon pricing will increase diesel fuel cost by an estimated four to five per cent).

Another benefit is reduced maintenance cost. Maintenance on electric buses is estimated to be 50 per cent less than conventional diesel buses, said staff.

Electric buses take approximately three to five minutes to fully charge using smart-grid technology.

Staff will report back to council with an update on the status of the trial following the conclusion of Phase 1.

#Metro · March 19, 2017, 11:27:16 AM

QuoteThe visiting trade delegation offered to set up a mining institute in the State with the cooperation of the Curtin University of Australia and to rope in the manufacturers in Australia to supply electric buses to A.P. They said some Australian companies were manufacturing electric buses which ran up to 1,000 kilometres on a single charge. Chief Minister's Chief Secretary Sai Prasad and Principal Secretary (infrastructure and investments and energy) Ajay Jain were among those present

That piece of news really confused me. I thought: Australia has no major electric bus fleets and yet we are helping another country get one?

Huh??

I cannot imagine that it is competitive to make buses here and send them to India. The exchange rate, shipping, labour costs etc would be very pricey I would think.

verbatim9 · March 23, 2017, 22:21:34 PM

Electric buses in action in the USA

ozbob · May 25, 2017, 06:03:05 AM

As of today, people in #Montreal can ride electric buses on 36—Monk route. They charge in 5 minutes!https://t.co/iOPqTIlDFx pic.twitter.com/MA2ekrbTTk
— Taras Grescoe (@grescoe) May 24, 2017

ozbob · June 03, 2017, 02:43:10 AM

A train that runs on virtual tracks debuts in central China's Hunan. It's the 1st of its kind in the world #XinhuaTV pic.twitter.com/sx5DFT76K1
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) June 2, 2017

ozbob · June 05, 2017, 08:12:00 AM

New electric buses at Brisbane Airport a win/win for travellers and the environment https://t.co/z7zfsC8B8P pic.twitter.com/ln7os1hxXm
— Brisbane Airport ✈️ (@BrisbaneAirport) June 4, 2017

========================

http://newsroom.bne.com.au/new-electric-buses-at-brisbane-airport-a-winwin-for-travellers-and-the-environment/

New electric buses at Brisbane Airport a win/win for travellers and the environment

Brisbane Airport (BNE) is continuing its commitment to sustainability and the environment, being the first Australian airport to roll out a fleet of 11 electric buses.

Carbridge, an Australian-headquartered world leader in aviation passenger ground transport, has been awarded the more than $5 million per year contract to exclusively build, operate and maintain all aspects of the Brisbane Airport bus fleet following a competitive tender process.

The five year contract will commence on 1 July 2017 with the new electric bus fleet coming into full operation in February 2018.

Martin Ryan, Head of Parking and Transport Services at Brisbane Airport, said, "The roll out of electric buses for our landside transport needs reinforces BAC's ongoing commitment to a cleaner, greener environment and improved passenger experience.

"The new fleet will be super quiet and environmentally clean, having reduced noise pollution and zero tail pipe emissions.

"In fact, swapping out our current fleet for electric buses will result in a reduction of 250 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road," Mr Ryan said.

Passenger comfort and functionality have not been forgotten with tailored interiors designed specifically for travellers, including plenty of luggage racks, plus three full size double doors making boarding and disembarking more efficient.

"Technology and innovation is also interwoven into the vehicles, with GPS next stop announcements, driver monitoring and real time tracking data, meaning issues can be immediately identified and responded to in real time," Mr Ryan added.

Luke Todd, Carbridge CEO, said, "Carbridge is proud to partner with Brisbane Airport to deliver world leading bussing technology for the airport and its patrons.

"The Toro electric buses created by Carbridge are powered by BYD battery technology and are built with an aerospace lightweight aluminium bus body.

"The Carbridge Toro is statistically the world's best electric bus with a driving range of 600 kilometres on a single charge. The buses use kinetic power regeneration technology to produce charge as the buses decelerate. This advanced technology further reduces battery recharging frequency as power generation is created by the buses whilst in motion.

"Carbridge is delighted to build further upon our long-term relationship with Brisbane Airport which commenced in 2008," Mr Todd said.

Carbridge is one of Australasia's leading airport service providers delivering a range of airport infrastructure services including transport, luggage trolley management and passenger facilitation services across multiple airports.

The roll out of Electric Buses is for landside transport operations only at this time.

Carbridge will still operate standard buses airside under separate contractual agreements with Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia.

verbatim9 · June 05, 2017, 11:04:59 AM

Will that be The T bus that runs between Terminals and DFO? From the article real time in cabin passenger next stop info will display as well as real time info being accessed from apps. The article didn't elaborate on real time displays at stops at the terminals and along Qantas Drive enroute to DFO?

^^Received confirmation from Brisbane Airport Corp that these new buses will be running to DFO from the terminals. Incl realtime arrivals via apps and PIDs plus onboard (next stop info).

ozbob · June 06, 2017, 02:38:51 AM

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane Airport signs $25m bus contract ahead of proposed monorail

A Carbridge Toro electric bus at Sydney Airport. Photo: Sydney Airport

QuoteElectric buses will ferry passengers between Brisbane Airport's domestic and international terminals until at least 2022, under a $25 million contract signed this week.

The $25 million, five-year contract with Carbridge would include a fleet of 11 electric buses that would come into full operation in February.

The contract, awarded after a competitive tender process, gave the Sydney-based company exclusive rights to build, operate and maintain the Brisbane Airport bus fleet.

But it could be the last five-year deal for such a service, with a monorail system set to be introduced as soon as 2022.

The monorail, which would be able to handle up to 3200 passengers an hour in both directions, formed an integral part of Brisbane Airport Corporation's 2014 master plan.

The monorail would provide a link between the domestic and international terminals, along with car parking facilities.

"Due to existing site constraints, the track design would be predominantly elevated," the report says.

"Station design would be integrated with the terminals and would include safety design measures such as automated vehicle and platform doors, cameras and access provisions for mobility impaired passengers."

It was expected to be up and running by the mid-2020s.

A BAC spokeswoman said those plans had not altered since 2014, but the airport's new master plan, due towards the end of this year, could see some revisions.

In the meantime, Carbridge's fleet of electric buses would link the two terminals, as well as the Skygate precinct near Southern Cross Way.

Brisbane Airport parking and transport services head Martin Ryan was keen to spruik the fleet's environmental credentials.

"The new fleet will be super quiet and environmentally clean, having reduced noise pollution and zero tail pipe emissions," he said.

"In fact, swapping out our current fleet for electric buses will result in a reduction of 250 tonnes of carbon emissions each year, equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road."

The bus interiors would be designed specifically for passengers, Mr Ryan said, with luggage racks and three full-size double doors, which would make boarding and disembarking more efficient.

"Technology and innovation is also interwoven into the vehicles, with GPS next-stop announcements, driver monitoring and real-time tracking data, meaning issues can be immediately identified and responded to in real time," Mr Ryan added.

Carbridge chief executive Luke Todd said the company's Toro election buses were powered by BYD batteries and built with a lightweight aluminium bus body.

"The Carbridge Toro is statistically the world's best electric bus with a driving range of 600 kilometres on a single charge," he said.

"The buses use kinetic power regeneration technology to produce charge as the buses decelerate.

"This advanced technology further reduces battery recharging frequency as power generation is created by the buses whilst in motion."

Carbridge and BAC have a relationship that stretched back to 2008, Mr Todd said.

Meanwhile, across town at Archerfield Airport, Basair Aviation College has been confirmed as the new occupier of the former Royal Queensland Aero Club premises.

Basair provided flight training for Griffith University's graduate diploma, Boeing's pilot development program and diploma courses where students may be eligible for vocational education and training student loans.

The RQAC premises had been vacant since the club went into voluntary administration in March 2016.

Archerfield Airport Corporation general manager Heather Mattes said there was significant interest in leasing the premises, which was in a prime airside location fronting Beatty Road and close to the main terminal building.

"AAC is actively working with industry partners and improving airport infrastructure to help secure the future of general aviation in Queensland, so it is very encouraging to see a strong level of interest in this building and facilities," she said.

"AAC has been guided by independent recommendations by Jones Lange LaSalle regarding the future tenancy of the former RQAC premises, and welcomes the expansion of Basair at the airport."

A monorail forms part of Brisbane Airport's master plan. Photo: BAC

BrizCommuter · June 06, 2017, 10:29:16 AM

Doubt the "monorail" will be a monorail. Probably an automated guided transit system.

OzGamer · June 06, 2017, 10:36:39 AM

Quote from: BrizCommuter on June 06, 2017, 10:29:16 AM
Doubt the "monorail" will be a monorail. Probably an automated guided transit system.

Well, being pedantic, that's kind of what a modern monorail is, but I take your point. For a small closed loop like this, medium size vehicles running in one direction might make reasonable sense.

The real question is whether a smarter option might be to extend the train line to the new terminal and somehow reuse the track for small light rail-like vehicles on this existing track. Don't know if it's possible, but it does seem slightly strange to have more than one rapid transit system traveling between different parts of the airport.