April 2005
http://www.dieselnet.com/
Heavy-duty hybrid powertrains
+ New York City to buy hybrid diesel-electric buses, not CNG
The MTA New York City Transit (NYCT) has decided to change its clean
bus strategy, which will rely exclusively on hybrid diesel-electric
buses. The NYCT wants to stop buying compressed natural gas (CNG)
buses, according to the New York Times.
MTA's clean bus program originally relied on two bus technologies:
hybrids and CNG. However, CNG buses require special facilities
(fueling equipment, safety regulations) which are expensive to build
and maintain. They also consume more fuel. Hybrid buses, on the other
hand, cost $125,000 to $200,000 more than regular diesel buses, but
the added expense is expected to be paid off through savings on fuel.
Emissions from CNG and hybrid diesel-electric buses are practically
equivalent.
The MTA started tests with a fleet of ten Orion VI hybrids in late
1998. The first order for 125 Orion VII buses was placed in 2000, and
was filled during 2004. A second order for 200 more Orion hybrids has
been already placed. The total of 325 hybrid buses represents 7% of
the entire MTA fleet of 4,512 buses. The new proposal calls for
ordering 500 more hybrid buses. The Orion buses utilize the
HybriDrive series hybrid propulsion system by BAE Systems.
Under the new strategy, NYCT intends to reallocate money that had
been budgeted for 120 CNG buses and 55 extra-long diesel buses. The
funds would instead be used for 100 hybrid buses, with an option to
buy 400 more in the future, and 20 extra-long hybrids.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/28/nyregion/28bus.html
+ Yosemite National Park buys hybrid buses
The Yosemite National Park Service received a new fleet of 18 shuttle
buses with hybrid diesel electric propulsion. The parallel hybrid
technology was manufactured by GM Allison Transmission. Gillig of
Hayward, CA, manufactured the buses.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/stor
y/04-25-2005/0003482922
+ City of Ottawa to evaluate hybrid electric buses
Ottawa, the Canada's capital, will receive $130,378 (CAD) federal
grant to identify the diesel-electric hybrid technology that best
meets the city's operational transit needs. The City's Fleet
Emissions Reduction Strategy has identified 2007 as the target date
to begin hybrid acquisition.
The feasibility study to be undertaken by the National Research
Council's (NRC) Centre for Surface Transportation Technology will
examine performance achieved in Ottawa's transit system using
different diesel-electric hybrid technologies from GM Allison
Transmission and BAE Systems.
http://www.fcm.ca/english/communications/april222005.html
+ FedEx to add more hybrid trucks to fleet
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corp., has announced plans to
add up to 75 hybrid diesel-electric trucks to its service fleet in
the next 12 months, contingent upon pricing and availability. The
announcement coincided with the unveiling of two FedEx hybrid trucks
in Washington, DC, which brought the company-wide total of hybrid
trucks in use to 18.
The FedEx Express E700 hybrid electric vehicle decreases particulate
emissions by 96% (with a particulate filter) and improves fuel
economy by 57% compared to the 1999 baseline FedEx truck. Cleveland,
OH-based Eaton Corporation produced the hybrid electric powertrain
for the vehicle.
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/fedex-express/index.jsp?epi-
content=GENERIC&newsId=20050422005055&ndmHsc=v2*A1072962000000*B111420
0655000*C4102491599000*DgroupByDate*J2*M671*N1001263&newsLang=en&beanI
D=891321701&viewID=news_view
+ Montebello, CA, buying gasoline-electric buses
Montebello Bus Lines in California is buying five gasoline-electric
hybrid buses to replace old diesel models. The hybrids are built by
NewFlyer, and use a gasoline-electric series hybrid system by ISE
Thundervolt.
The hybrids are part of a 76 bus joint order with Long Beach and
several other California city transit agencies. The buses cost
$511,000 each.
http://www.sgvtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,205~12220~2790408,00.html
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