News Release
CANADA'S FIRST HYBRID BUS ARRIVES IN KELOWNA
4 May 2005, Reference: BCT 5032
KELOWNA - Today, Canada's first new hybrid electric bus was
unveiled in Kelowna. This new technology for heavy duty vehicles
will set the standards for fuel efficient, environmentally-friendly
bus fleets in Canada.
"The hybrid-buses are an excellent example of using technologies
to help address climate change," said Mayor Walter Gray. "When
using the buses in urban areas, fuel consumption and greenhouse
gas emissions are significantly reduced when compared to conventional
diesel buses."
BC Transit purchased six hybrid buses to evaluate environmental
and economic benefits of operating hybrid electric buses in
the Kelowna and the Victoria regions. Under the transit agreement,
the local governments cost-share vehicle operating and debt
retirement expenses with the provincial government through BC
Transit.
"BC Transit is committed to identifying and adopting new technologies
for public transit," said Greg Slocombe, Chair of BC Transit.
"As well as environmental quality advantages, the hybrid electric
bus has major advantages in lower fuel costs as well as operating
and life cycle costs."
This hybrid system uses dual electric motors for regenerative
braking that slow the bus down and capture the energy into the
battery system. This captured electrical energy is then used
to assist in powering the bus using quiet electric motors and
adding to the vehicle's efficient use of the diesel engine.
The vehicle supplier is New Flyer, headquartered in Winnipeg
with two facilities in the U.S. and is the largest manufacturer
of heavy-duty transit buses in North America. General Motors
, the world's largest automaker, developed and manufactures
the hybrid system that is used in the hybrid bus.
Contacts
Richard James, GM Canada, cell 905-435-4079
Rod Biddell, New Flyer, cell 204-228-3754
Aaron Lamb, BC Transit, Tel: 250-385-2551, cell 250-514-9617
Jerry Dombowsky, City of Kelowna, 250-469-8735
Backgrounder
How the Hybrid Electric System Works
A "hybrid drive" means there is a combination of more than
one type of motive power on the bus. Hybrid electric buses utilize
two power sources: a smaller than normal internal combustion
engine and an energy storage unit (the battery). The engine-generator
combination works in parallel with the battery, providing electrical
power to keep the battery charged. As a result, the engine operates
only in its most efficient ranges. For example when accelerating
from a stop, the electric transmission accelerates the vehicle
to a speed of about 12 kmph.
Once the vehicle is underway, the parallel hybrid system blends
both the diesel engine and electric motor power to maintain
speed. At highway speeds, the vehicle is powered solely by the
diesel engine. During this time, the engine also charges the
energy storage system (battery).
Significant fuel economy is achieved when the vehicle runs
at its optimal speed, offering top engine performance and low
exhaust emissions. The vehicle also uses regenerative braking
to charge the batteries.
The hybrid electric bus has three major advantages: reduced
fuel consumption, reduced emissions, and lower operating and
life cycle costs.
- Reduced Fuel Consumption
Short demonstration tests indicate up to a 58% reduction in
fuel consumption depending on the vehicle usage profile. The
fuel savings could be as high as 100,000 litres per year for
the first order of six buses.
- Reduced Emissions
"Greenhouse" gas emissions, believed to contribute to global
warming, are reduced up to 60 per cent. Applying this figure
to this initial 6 bus fleet, the estimated reduction in greenhouse
gas emissions would be 403 tonnes per year and up to 90% fewer
particulates (the visible black smoke from older diesels.)
- Lower Costs
The hybrid electric system results in lower operating costs
due to reduced stress and maintenance on mechanical components
such as brake linings. The hybrid transmission has fewer component
parts and therefore requires less maintenance. The hybrid
bus option has about a 40 per cent premium on capital. The
operating costs savings means the break even point in total
expenditures is estimated at 10-12 years dependent upon future
petroleum price trends. Buses are typically kept in service
for 20 years.
The delivery cost of a regular 40-foot vehicle manufactured
according to BC Transit specifications is $530,000. The premium
for the hybrid technology is an additional $300,000.
First in Canada
With the purchase of the six hybrid electric vehicles, BC Transit
will evaluate environmental and economic benefits of operating
these buses. Three buses will be operating in the Kelowna region
and three in the Victoria region. After final inspection, staff
familiarization and decaling, the buses will go into service
early this summer.
BC Transit was the first public transit agency to use low-floor
conventional buses (Victoria 1992), low-floor double deck buses
(Victoria 2000) and now hybrid buses (Kelowna 2005). As a leader
in public transit technologies, BC Transit continues to actively
participate in supporting emerging technologies for the future.
BC Transit coordinates the delivery of public transportation
through British Columbia outside the Vancouver area. With a
fleet of over 700 vehicles, BC Transit provides planning, funding,
marketing, fleet management and contracting services to 77 transit
systems, carrying over 39 million passengers annually.
New Flyer
New Flyer, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the largest
manufacturer of transit buses in North America. The company
serves many of the largest transit agencies in the United States
and Canada, and has supplied BC Transit with buses for many
years. New Flyer has worked closely with General Motors to take
a leadership role in developing and producing hybrid electric
transit buses.
New Flyer has recently delivered 235 hybrid electric buses
to Seattle, both 40-foot vehicles and 65-foot articulated vehicles.
Another fleet order is in production for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The six BC Transit buses destined for Kelowna and Victoria,
will be the first production-line hybrid buses in Canada.
General Motors
General Motors, the world's largest automaker, supplies the
parallel hybrid system used on the hybrid bus. GM's vision is
to reduce vehicle emissions to zero, and ultimately remove the
automobile from the environmental debate. Its strategy is to
focus on the highest fuel-consuming vehicles first, like buses,
full-size trucks and SUV's since that is where the hybrid technology
can have the greatest fuel savings impact.
Kelowna Regional Transit
The Kelowna Regional Transit System is a partnership between
the City of Kelowna, Regional District of Central Okanagan,
District of Lake Country and BC Transit. The transit system
is operated by Farwest Transit Services Inc.
The three-bus fleet supports the City of Kelowna's commitment
for transportation demand management options for the region's
residents.
Q&A
Background
BC Transit has purchased three hybrid electric buses to replace
aging buses in the Kelowna region. The hybrid technology reduces
fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by converting
energy normally wasted in braking into electricity and using
it to help accelerate the bus.
Another three buses will be used in Greater Victoria. These
are the first production-line hybrid vehicles in Canada.
Research on hybrid vehicle applications encourages the transit
industry to move toward this technology. A key advantage is
that the technology does not impact existing infrastructure
or daily business operations, providing a simple step toward
improved performance.
How much will it save?
BC Transit staff is projecting up to a 50 percent fuel reduction
in stop and go applications, or 22,500 litres. An average bus
uses 45,000 litres over a year, traveling 75,000 km.
An additional maintenance savings of 30-50 percent is anticipated
in maintenance costs of some major vehicle components.
Fuel-efficiency and maintenance data will be collected and
analyzed as the fleet goes into service.
How clean is the bus technology?
In stop and go applications, each year greenhouse gasses are
reduced by over four times the weight of a regular bus. That's
60 metric tonnes.
- Particulate Matter (PM) is reduced by up to 90 percent over
the cleanest diesel buses now in BC Transit's fleet
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) reduced by up to 90 percent
- Hydrocarbons (HC) reduced by up to 90 percent
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) reduced by up to 40-60 percent
- Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) reduced by up to 50 percent
How will bus riders benefit from these new buses?
- Up to 50 percent emission reduction
- Improved fuel and maintenance efficiency to keep fares and
local taxes down
- Improved on-road performance through smoother acceleration
and no shifting
- Low floor makes for easier boarding and exiting
- Fabric covered seats
- Rear-facing wheelchair position to make it easier for people
in wheelchairs to get on
- Air-conditioned
- Better results for people participating in the One Tonne
Challenge
Specifications
- Manufacturer: New Flyer, Winnipeg, Canada
- Model: DE40LF
- Fleet Number: 9101, 9102, 9103
- Seats: 37 passengers
- Length: 40 ft, 12.19 metres
What is the cost of this bus?
Today a regular 40-foot low floor bus costs approximately $530,000.
The premium cost for the hybrid technology is an additional
$300,000. Based on current fuel costs, the bus should recuperate
the additional cost in 10-12 years. The average life span of
a transit bus is 20 years.
Is special training required?
Transit mechanics will receive training on the new technology
associated to electronics. The hybrid bus has a voltage of 600.
In addition, information will be provided to emergency response
staff to understand the electric features of these new vehicles.
Transit drivers will notice little difference in the New Flyer
vehicle. There will be a smoother acceleration as there is no
transmission shift.
How does it work?
The parallel system provides both a mechanical and an electrical
path through the drive unit. As the bus accelerates from a stop,
the electric drive predominates. Mechanical drive gradually
blends with electric until at highway speeds when the drive
is purely mechanical.
The regular bus transmission is replaced by an electric transmission
that acts as a transmission, generator and electric motor.
The batteries are located on the roof of the bus and weight
approximately 400kg (900lbs)
Why a Hybrid?
The Kelowna region takes clean air seriously and demonstrates
this through its commitment to public transit, offering transportation
choices to its residents. The decision to include clean-air,
hybrid buses is an important step toward protecting the area's
environment while reducing traffic congestion. Transit buses
are required to meet the emission standards in effect when the
bus is built. Heavy-duty diesel engines used in transit buses
must meet more stringent standards than diesel engines used
in heavy-duty trucks.
Since the early 1990s, Kelowna Regional Transit has been using
#1 diesel, the cleanest low-sulphur diesel available. This low
sulphur diesel eliminates visible exhaust.
Presently, Kelowna Regional Transit operates a fleet of 49
buses ranging in age from 1982 to 2005. Some vehicles are now
at the end of their 20-year useful life.
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