News Release

Backgrounder

Q & A

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.)
3. 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.