Electric bus

An electric bus is a bus powered by electricity.

There are two main electric bus categories:

• Non-autonomous electric buses:
  • The trolleybus is a type of electric bus powered by two overhead electric wires, with electricity being drawn from one wire and returned via the other wire, using two roof-mounted trolley poles.
  • The gapbus is a bus without rails or surface power lines, and it can share the road lane with other vehicles as well. Power is supplied over a gap of 12 cm (4.7 in) from a power line embedded in the ground.^[1]
  • Online Electric Vehicle (OLEV) by KAIST, propelled by a high frequency electric cable buried under the pavement.^[2]
• The onboard stored-electricity bus (autonomous electric buses):
  • Battery electric bus and Capabus
  • Gyrobus

For information on buses using a combination of internal combustion engines and electric propulsion, see Hybrid electric buses and Dual-mode buses.

History

Seoul Metropolitan Government runs the world's first commercial all-electric bus service. The bus was developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hankuk Fiber which make a lightweight body from carbon composite material. Provided with Lithium-ion battery and regenerative braking, the bus may run to 52 miles (84 km) in a single 30 minutes charge. The maximum speed is 62 miles per hour (100 km/h).^[3]

First Fast-Charge, Battery-Electric Transit Bus

Proterra's EcoRide BE35 transit bus, called the Ecoliner by Foothill Transit in West Covina, California, is the world’s first heavy duty, fast charge, battery-electric bus. Proterra's ProDrive drive-system uses a UQM motor and regenerative braking that captures 90% of the available energy and returns it to the TerraVolt energy storage system, which in turn increases the total distance the bus can drive by 31-35%. It can travel 30–40 miles on a single charge, is up to 600% more fuel-efficient than a typical diesel or CNG bus, and produces 44% less carbon than CNG.^[4]

Capabus

The best ultracapacitors can only store about 5 percent of the energy that lithium-ion batteries hold, limiting them to a couple of miles per charge. This makes them ineffective as an energy storage medium for passenger vehicles. But what ultracapacitors lack in range they make up in their ability to rapidly charge and discharge. So in vehicles that have to stop frequently and predictably as part of normal operation, energy storage based exclusively on ultracapacitors begins to make sense.^[5]

China is experimenting with a new form of electric bus, known as Capabus, which runs without continuous overhead lines by using power stored in large onboard electric double-layer capacitors, which are quickly recharged whenever the vehicle stops at any bus stop (under so-called electric umbrellas), and fully charged in the terminus.

A few prototypes were being tested in Shanghai in early 2005. In 2006, two commercial bus routes began to use electric double-layer capacitor buses; one of them is route 11 in Shanghai.^[6] In 2009, Sinautec Automobile Technologies,^[7] based in Arlington, VA, and its Chinese partner, Shanghai Aowei Technology Development Company^[8] are testing with 17 forty-one seat Ultracap Buses serving the Greater Shanghai area since 2006 without any major technical problems.^[9] Another 60 buses will be delivered early next year with ultracapacitors that supply 10 watt-hours per kilogram.

The buses have very predictable routes and need to stop regularly, every 3 miles (4.8 km), allowing opportunities for quick recharging. The trick is to turn some bus stops along the route into charging stations. At these stations, a collector on the top of the bus rises a few feet and touches an overhead charging line. Within a couple of minutes, the ultracapacitor banks stored under the bus seats are fully charged. The buses can also capture energy from braking, and the company says that recharging stations can be equipped with solar panels. A third generation of the product, will give 20 miles (32 km) of range per charge or better. ^[5] Such a bus was delivered in Sofia, Bulgaria in May 2014 for 9 months' test. It covers 23 km in 2 charges.^[10]

Sinautec estimates that one of its buses has one-tenth the energy cost of a diesel bus and can achieve lifetime fuel savings of $200,000. Also, the buses use 40 percent less electricity compared to an electric trolley bus, mainly because they are lighter and have the regenerative braking benefits. The ultracapacitors are made of activated carbon, and have an energy density of six watt-hours per kilogram (for comparison, a high-performance lithium-ion battery can achieve 200 watt-hours per kilogram), but the ultracapacitor bus is also cheaper than lithium-ion battery buses, about 40 percent less expensive, with a far superior reliability rating.^[5][9]

There is also a plug-in hybrid version, which also uses ultracaps.

Proterra's EcoRide BE35 transit bus, called the Ecoliner by Foothill Transit in West Covina, California, is the world’s first heavy duty, fast charge, battery-electric bus. Proterra's ProDrive drive-system uses a UQM motor and regenerative braking that captures 90% of the available energy and returns it to the TerraVolt energy storage system, which in turn increases the total distance the bus can drive by 31-35%. It can travel 30–40 miles on a single charge, is up to 600% more fuel-efficient than a typical diesel or CNG bus, and produces 44% less carbon than CNG.^[4]

Future developments

Sinautec is in discussions with MIT's Schindall about developing ultracapacitors of higher energy density using vertically aligned carbon nanotube structures that give the devices more surface area for holding a charge. So far, they are able to get twice the energy density of an existing ultracapacitor, but they are trying to get about five times. This would create an ultracapacitor with one-quarter of the energy density of a lithium-ion battery.^[11]

Future developments includes the use of inductive charging under the street, to avoid overhead wiring. A pad under each bus stop and at each stop light along the way would be used.

Pantographs and underbody collectors at bus stops

Pantographs and underbody collectors are integrated in bus stops to quick electric bus recharge, making possible to use a smaller battery on the bus, which reduces the investment and subsequent costs.^{[12][13][14][15]}

Solar-charged

Tindo is an experimental battery electric bus being tested in Adelaide, Australia. The word "Tindo" comes from the aboriginal word for sun. The bus will get its electricity from a photovoltaic system on Adelaide's central bus station. Rides are free as part of Adelaide's public transport system.^[16]

Zinc

There is a 40-foot (12.2 m) pure electric bus being developed, using a pre-commercial battery technology. Electric Fuel Corporation is developing and demonstrating a 40-foot (12.2 m) electric bus powered by a zinc air cell,^[17] along with an ultracapacitor. The zinc-air energy device, often described as a battery, converts zinc to zinc oxide in a process that provides energy to the bus. The bus is not recharged; instead, the zinc oxide cartridges are swapped out for new zinc ones. This bus has shown a range of over 100 miles (160 km) in testing and has been demonstrated in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, this technology is in the development phase, and several major hurdles must be overcome before it can be adopted for transit fleet use, including available refueling infrastructure or use in bus stations.^[18]

Onboard solar panels

Air conditioning

Solar panels and supercapacitors are used in some electric buses to power the specific air conditioning circuit.

School Buses

In 2014, the first production model all-electric school bus was delivered to the Kings Canyon Unified School District in California’s San Joaquin Valley. The Class-A school bus was built by Trans Tech Bus, using an electric powertrain control system developed by Motiv Power Systems, of Foster City, CA. The bus was one of four the district ordered. The first round of SST-e buses (as they are called) is partly funded by the AB 118 Air Quality Improvement Program administered by the California Air Resources Board.

The Trans Tech/Motiv vehicle has passed all KCUSD and California Highway Patrol inspections and certifications. Although some diesel hybrids are in use, this is the first modern electric school bus approved for student transportation by any state.

Makers and models

There are currently more than 25 manufacturers of trolleybuses. See List of trolleybus manufacturers.

Makers of other types of all-electric (mostly battery-powered) buses:

• ABB TOSA Flash Mobility, Clean City, Smart Bus, Geneva, Switzerland, A mass transport system with electric “flash” partial recharging of the buses at selected bus stops.^[19]
• APS Systems, Oxnard, CA, shuttle buses in partnership with Enova Systems^[20] and Saft^[21]
• Astonbus,^[22] Marina del Rey, CA: E-city midi and full-size models, with a range between 250 and 500 km. Astonbus is the Zonda Electric bus sole distributor in all EU states.
• BredaMenarinibus ^[23] in Bologna, Italy. Zeus M-200 E model, with Ansaldo Electric Drive motor and 288V - 200 Ah lithium-ion batteries.
• BYD electric bus factories in Changsha and Dalian in China and Lancaster USA

• City Smile electric bus designed and manufactured by AMZ-Kutno in Poland.
• Designline International, in New Zealand: The Tindo solar-electric bus (prototype only).
• Ebus,^[26] in Downey, California, minibuses : 22 feet (6.7 m) buses .
• Iveco, in Turin, Italy: EuroPolis model.
• Jiangsu Alfa Bus company,^[27] Jiangsu, China, delivered in Italy by Rama Company.
• Lujo EV, in Weihai City, Shandong Prov., China.:^[28] Lujo YX Bus69 LHD (9 m, maximum speed 80 km/h, maximum range 220 km).
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is developing electric buses that are capable of battery swapping.
• Optare: Solo EV, Versa EV.
• Proterra ^[29] in Greenville, SC: 35 feet (11 m) full-size bus FCBE 35.
• PVI, near Paris, France : Oreos 2X, Oreos 4X distributed under the brand Gepebus ^[30]
• Smith Electric Vehicles, Kansas City, Missouri, Speedster and Edison^[31] electric minibuses.^[32][33]
• Solaris Urbinos 8.9, 12 and 18 meters^[34] with about 100 km (60 miles) range and about 120 kWh battery pack, introduced in September 2011. Optional pantograph inductive.
• Specialty Vehicle Manufacturing Corp. (SVMC) in Downey, CA.
• Tecnobus,^[35] in Frosinone, Italy. The Gulliver model is currently used in several cities in Canada, England, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal and Spain.
• Thomas Built Buses Inc. ^[36][37] in High Point, NC.
• Thunder Sky Energy Group^[38] of Shenzhen, China (near Hong Kong) builds lithium-ion batteries and has four models of electric buses, the ten passenger EV-6700 with a range of 260 km (160 mi), the TS-6100EV and TS-6110EV city buses (top speed 80 km/h), and the 43 passenger Thunder-Sky-EV-2008 highway bus (top speed 100 km/h), which has a range of 300 km (190 mi). The batteries can be recharged in one hour or replaced in five minutes. The buses are also to be built in the United States and Finland.
• U.S. Electricar in Santa Rosa, California.^[39][40][41]
• Zonda Bus, in Jiangsu, China:^[42] YCK6128HEC (12 m), YCK6118HEC (11 m) and the Zonda Bus New Energy (with a 500 km only-electric range and a battery lifespan of above 500,000 km).^[43]

Transit use

For information on where trolleybuses are in use, see Trolleybus usage by country and List of trolleybus systems.

Transit authorities that use battery buses or other types of all-electric buses, other than trolleybuses:

Asia

Malaysia

• Malacca

India

• India's first electric bus has been launched in Bangalore.^[44]

China

• Beijing
• Changsha (BYD x 180 vehicles) ^[45]
• Haikou (BYD) ^[46]
• Shanghai (capabuses).
• Shaoguan (BYD) ^[47]
• Shenzhen (BYD x 200 vehicles) ^[48]
• Tianjin (BYD) ^[49]
• Xi'an (BYD) ^[50]
• Yancheng.^[51]

Japan

• Community Bus "Hamurun" (Operated by Nishi Tokyo Bus) in Hamura, Tokyo since March 10, 2012^[52]
• Community Bus "Sumida Hyakkei" (Operated by Keisei Bus) in Sumida, Tokyo since March 20, 2012^[53]
• Kitakyushu City, Japan.^[54]

South Korea

• Seoul has 15 electric buses nicknamed "Peanut Bus" for their shape, transferring people from subway stations in downtown to the N Seoul Tower, circulating Mt. Namsan.^[55]
• Seoul's Gangnam District will have 11 electric buses in operation from February 2013 and 270 electric buses by the end of 2013, increasing to 400 buses by 2014.^[56] At least 3,500 electric buses will be introduced in phases until 2020, which will account for half of Seoul's bus fleet.^[57]
• Gumi will have the world's first wireless electric bus, known as Online Electric Vehicle, in operation from July 2013 developed by KAIST. Electricity is wirelessly fed into the bus from the tracks.^[2][58]
• Pohang will have automatically battery switching electric buses in operation from July 2013. Unlike conventional plug-in charging buses, the battery pack is automatically swapped with a fully charged one before complete drainage.^[59]

Europe

There is a European Union directive that mandates the purchase of electric buses for public services.

• Gruppo Torinese Trasporti — Turin, Italy

Spain

• Empresa Malagueña de Transportes (EMT), S.A.M^[60]
• Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid (20 all-electric and 20 hybrid diesel-electric buses)^[61]
• Councillor for the Environment, Figueres ^[62]
• León: Minibus Tecnobus Gulliver ^[63][64]
• Seville ^[63]

Finland

• Espoo Cobus EL2500 (bus 11 Friisilä-Tapiola Centre

Switzerland

• transport public genève (tpg) introduce TOSA Flash Mobility, Clean City, Smart Bus^[65] a new system of mass transport with electric “flash” recharging of the buses at selected bus stops.^[66]

Russia

• In 2014 in Chelyabinsk began to run electric buses (hybrid trolleybus and electric car). Moves up to 30 kilometers on routes unequipped wires to distant parts of the city.^[67]

North America

Canada

Ontario

• Windsor (BYD) ^[68]

Québec

• Réseau de transport de la Capitale, Quebec City's public transit authority has integrated 8 electric buses to its fleet in 2008 to serve the Old City.^[69] The Tecnobus Gulliver buses can carry up to 20 passengers and runs on $3.25 worth of electricity per day.^[70]
• Montreal, bus fleet going all-electric by 2025.^[71]

United States

California

There is a Californian mandate (Zero Emission Bus, in short, ZBus) that 15% of new buses after 2011 be electric.^[73] The ZBus Regulation is part of the Fleet Rule for Transit Agencies, which is also referred to as the Public Transit Agencies Regulation.^[74][75]

South America

Aruba

• Oranjestad (BYD) ^[76]

Brazil

• Sao Paulo (BYD)^[77]

Chile

• Santiago (BYD) ^[78]
• Valparaiso (BYD) ^[78]

Colombia

• Bogota (BYD) ^[79]

Uruguay

• Montevideo (BYD x 200 vehicles) ^[80]

See also

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Electrically-powered buses.

• Electric buses, Citytransport.
• Electric buses, Clean Air Initiative (CAI), World Bank
• http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/zbus06/res0628.pdf PDF (28.2 KB) (California Air Resources Board)
• Nanobus
• The Electric Tbus Group
• Advanced buses

References

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