Battery-electric bus discussion

[GRA]

GCC:

Berlin public transport operator orders 20 more electric buses from Solaris

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... laris.html

Berlin’s public transport operator BVG . . . has ordered 20 electric buses from Solaris between 2015 and 2018, all of a standard 12-meter length.

At the end of the second quarter of 2020 they will be joined by 15 articulated Solaris Urbino 18 electrics. Those will be the first articulated electric buses in the capital of Germany.

The energy charging will take place in selected places of the city through the inverted pantograph (lowered from the charging station to the roof of the vehicle) and on the depot, via a plug-in connection.

The vehicles will be equipped with Solaris High Power batteries with a total capacity of 174 kWh . . . The lighting of the bus both inside and outside will be made using LED technology. The operator decided to order electric heating for the vehicles, and the air conditioning will be equipped with a heat pump. . . .

[GRA]

GCC:

New York City contracts with New Flyer for 15 low-floor 60' Xcelsior CHARGE battery-electric transit buses

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... finyc.html

. . . The 60-foot New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE buses feature long-range, heavy-duty lithium-ion batteries. New Flyer batteries are designed specifically for the 24/7/365 transit demands of New York City, utilizing American-based battery technology and American-based manufacturing supplied by XALT Energy.

The award includes New Flyer providing sixteen (16) Siemens 150 kW direct current interoperable chargers with installation, testing and commissioning to be performed by the recently announced New Flyer Infrastructure Solutions. . . .

[GRA]

All GCC:

Public transport company VHH orders 16 Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electric buses; longer-range packs

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... 4-vhh.html

The public transport company Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH) in Germany has ordered 16 units of the Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electric city bus. The buses are expected to be delivered at the end of 2019.

For the first time the buses features twelve battery packs with total capacity of 292 kWh. This results in a long range, even in difficult conditions at the height of summer and in winter, amounting to around 170 kilometers (106 miles) in accordance with SORT2, without recharging along the route. In ideal conditions, the range can even be as much as about 280 kilometers (174 miles). . . .

The company Verkehrsbetriebe Hamburg-Holstein (VHH) uses more than 150 buses to connect the metropolis of Hamburg with the surrounding area. The area served by VHH includes the city of Hamburg itself and the surrounding districts. The company’s fleet comprises more than 500 buses, by far the majority of which are from Mercedes-Benz. They carry more than 100 million passengers per year.

As of 2020, VHH wants to buy exclusively locally emission-free buses for use in the Hamburg city area. In order to prepare for electromobility the Bergedorf depot has become the first of VHH’s twelve depots to be converted for electromobility with a newly built workshop hall and the necessary charging infrastructure.

The 16 eCitaro vehicles are charged at the depot’s charging point using a charging management system. This technology ensures precise charging of every single bus to suit its specific application, without any unnecessary and expensive current spikes. In this context, the interior of the buses is also thermally preconditioned. This cuts the energy consumption for climate control during use and thus extends the range.

BYD launches 27m battery-electric bus, world’s longest; distributed 4WD system

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... -byd2.html

BYD launched the K12A at the company’s headquarters in Shenzhen, the world’s first 27-meter (88.6-foot) pure electric bus. With a passenger capacity of 250 people, it is the longest pure electric bus in the world and can travel at a maximum speed of 70 km/h.

Additionally, it is also the world’s first electric bus equipped with a distributed 4WD system, which can switch between 2WD and 4WD smoothly to meet the demands of different terrains, while also lowering the vehicle’s overall energy consumption. . . .

The bus is equipped with DC and AC charging ports that can be switched freely. One charge can last almost 300kms, and can therefore respond to the demands of a full day’s operation.

To date, BYD has delivered a total of more than 50,000 pure electric buses to its global partners. Its electric buses (longer than 10-m) rank Nº1 worldwide in terms of total sales.

This has four axles spread over three articulated units, 2-1-1 (there's a photo). Re BYD, see previous accounts of problems with their buses that have led to them being rejected by transit agencies after short periods in use.

[GRA]

University Of Georgia purchases 20 Proterra 40' Catalyst E2 buses with DuoPower drivetrain

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... 4-uga.html

. . . The University of Georgia offers free rides for students, faculty and visitors with an average daily ridership of about 40,000. After receiving a $10-million grant from the GO! Transit Capital Program administered by Georgia’s State Road and Tollway Authority, the University of Georgia evaluated and tested electric bus technology to ensure students, faculty, staff and visitors received the best electric bus possible.
. . .

[GRA]

GCC:

Mercedes-Benz to supply 56 electric urban buses to Wiesbaden; shifting to solid-state battery packs in 2020

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... itaro.html

. . . The first 15 eCitaro for Wiesbaden will be equipped with current-generation lithium-ion batteries—NMC batteries (lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt-oxide cells). Each eCitaro is equipped with twelve battery packs with a total capacity of 292 kWh.

The remaining 41 eCitaro will be equipped with solid-state batteries. Solid-state batteries have a very high energy density—in this case, seven battery packs are sufficient to provide a total capacity of 441 kWh.

Even in winter when faced with the difficult demands of using all-electric heating, the eCitaro can still cover more than 200 km according to the SORT 2 testing method. All 56 buses are charged by plug in the depot.

With the solid-state batteries, the eCitaro can meet about 70% of all requirements without opportunity charging. The characteristics of solid-state batteries differ significantly from NMC batteries—different shape, larger and not suitable for quick-charging. As a result, city buses equipped with them cover different operational profiles. For this reason, Mercedes-Benz will offer the eCitaro with a choice of NMC or solid-state batteries.

Subsequently, Mercedes-Benz plans to increase the range of the eCitaro yet again by a fuel cell range extender. It will be designed to allow the eCitaro to fulfil nearly 100% of all requirements on city buses. This technology eliminates the need for opportunity charging and the complex infrastructure required for it in almost all cases—the eCitaro will be able to replace city buses with combustion engine virtually one to one.

[GRA]

GCC:

Mercedes-Benz to supply 56 electric urban buses to Wiesbaden; shifting to solid-state battery packs in 2020

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... itaro.html

. . . The first 15 eCitaro for Wiesbaden will be equipped with current-generation lithium-ion batteries—NMC batteries (lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt-oxide cells). Each eCitaro is equipped with twelve battery packs with a total capacity of 292 kWh.

The remaining 41 eCitaro will be equipped with solid-state batteries. Solid-state batteries have a very high energy density—in this case, seven battery packs are sufficient to provide a total capacity of 441 kWh.

Even in winter when faced with the difficult demands of using all-electric heating, the eCitaro can still cover more than 200 km according to the SORT 2 testing method. All 56 buses are charged by plug in the depot.

With the solid-state batteries, the eCitaro can meet about 70% of all requirements without opportunity charging. The characteristics of solid-state batteries differ significantly from NMC batteries—different shape, larger and not suitable for quick-charging. As a result, city buses equipped with them cover different operational profiles. For this reason, Mercedes-Benz will offer the eCitaro with a choice of NMC or solid-state batteries.

Subsequently, Mercedes-Benz plans to increase the range of the eCitaro yet again by a fuel cell range extender. It will be designed to allow the eCitaro to fulfil nearly 100% of all requirements on city buses. This technology eliminates the need for opportunity charging and the complex infrastructure required for it in almost all cases—the eCitaro will be able to replace city buses with combustion engine virtually one to one.

Also GCC:

RATP splits ~800 electric bus order between HeuliezBus, Bluebus/Bolloré and Alstom/Alstom Aptis

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... -ratp.html

Paris transport operator RATP is splitting an order for nearly 800 electric buses into three identical batches, in their minimum and maximum amounts, with HeuliezBus, Bluebus/Bolloré and Alstom/Alstom Aptis. . . .

The consultation is divided into 3 lots giving rise to a framework agreement (market) of two years and a maximum amount of €133 million each. This purchase represents an order potential of nearly 800 buses (of which about 200 are in firm order), financed 100% by île-de-France Mobilités (in direct grant or via the contract île-de-France Mobilités – RATP).

The first order of approximately 150 vehicles, distributed over the three lots, will be processed as soon as possible. The first series deliveries related to this consultation should be made at the end of 2020.

• The HeuliezBus GX 337 12m electric comes in regular- and fast-charging versions, with NMC cells and LTO cells, respectively, offering range [missing].
  
  The 12m Bolloré Bluebus is equipped with eight NMC battery packs, which allow it to provide between 180 and 250 kilometers of range.
  
  The tram-inspired Alstom Aptis locates the batteries and power systems on the roof, with four steerable wheels situated at both ends with no overhangs. Aptis thus offers passengers a fully low floor spanning 20 m2.

The RATP fleet, consisting of 4700 bus, already includes 950 hybrid, 140 bio-methane and 83 electric buses. Before the arrival of deliveries related to this consultation, the RATP fleet in île-de-France will increase by 77 electric buses and 50 biomethane buses in 2019. . . .

[GRA]

GCC:

SFO purchases 6 Proterra electric buses

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... rasfo.html

San Francisco International Airport (SFO) has purchased six 40' Proterra Catalyst E2 electric buses and three 60 kW Proterra plug-in chargers, joining a growing list of airports across North America transitioning to electric buses for airport ground transportation. . . .

. . . SFO’s Five-Year Strategic Plan sets goals of carbon neutrality across airport-controlled operations by 2021 and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 50% from a 1990 baseline. Part of that plan includes the creation of a Clean Vehicle Policy to promote the adoption and deployment of low emission vehicles by both airport departments and ground transportation providers.

The new battery-electric Proterra Catalyst buses will replace six diesel buses in its current operating fleet and will eliminate more than 23 million pounds of greenhouse gas tailpipe emissions over the 12-year life of the vehicles. SFO expects to purchase additional battery-electric buses to replace its CNG vehicles.

The new electric buses will integrate batteries that are designed and manufactured down the street from the airport at Proterra’s Silicon Valley headquarters in Burlingame, California. With 440 kWh of battery capacity on board, the buses will be part of SFO’s fleet that currently provides buses to shuttle passengers between the terminals, long-term parking garages and other airport locations along daily routes.

[GRA]

Anaheim Transportation Network orders 40 BYD electric buses; 57% electric fleet by 2020

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... 5-byd.html

. . . The buses range in size from the 30-foot BYD K7M to the articulated 60-foot K11M. One-half of the order will be the popular 40-foot BYD K9M. The variety of BYD buses will allow ATN to efficiently service a range of routes in the Anaheim Resort. . . .

A private, non-profit transportation management association, ATN was created to develop and operate the Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) for the Anaheim Resort District system and surrounding areas in the city with clean fuel shuttles.

Each year more than 9.5 million residents, visitors and employees use ART to connect with local destinations and the ARTIC regional transportation center as part of the citywide #ElectrifyAnaheim program.

ATN was one of 28 California projects selected in 2018 to receive a grant from the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program (TIRCP), which provides awards from the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to help finance transformative, reduction-of-emission capital improvements.

In addition to TIRCP, ATN was also awarded funds for this project from the State of California HVIP vouchers, Anaheim Tourism Improvement District and the City of Norwalk . . .

[GRA]

GCC:

BYD to add another 183 electric buses to Santiago’s fleet

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... 7-byd.html

The Chilean Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Gloria Hutt, recently announced a new order for 183 BYD electric buses for the Chilean capital of Santiago, due to arrive in August of this year.

The 183 BYD electric buses will join the 100 electric buses that BYD and local partner Enel brought into Santiago last December, giving BYD a dominant share of more than 60% in the capital’s electric bus market.

They will be integrated into the existing Metbus fleet to operate the popular Avenida Grecia route, becoming the first route operated by only electric buses in Latin America. . . .

With this new batch of BYD buses, there will be a total fleet of 411 electric buses operating in the capital, making Santiago the city with the largest pure electric bus fleet outside of China. . . .

[GRA]

GCC:

Milan awards Solaris contract for up to 250 electric buses

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/0 ... laris.html

. . . The delivery of the first batch of 40 buses is to begin in June 2020. . . .

The 12-meter Urbino electric will be equipped with batteries of the Solaris High Energy type with a total capacity of more than 240 kWh. The electric power in those batteries will be recharged by means of an inverted pantograph—i.e. a device lowered from the charging pole to the vehicle roof, and a classic plug-in device in the bus depot. The drive unit will consist of an electric axle with two integrated electric engines of 110 kW each.

The air-conditioned passenger compartment can fit up to 82 people, of whom 26 are seated. The vehicle will be adapted to the needs of persons with disabilities: a functional bay and 14 seats accessible from the low floor will facilitate the travel.

150 Solaris buses, including 25 with an electric drive, are already in use in Milan. So far, Solaris has supplied more than 40 battery buses for the Italian market. Apart from Milan, they were bought by operators from Bergamo and Bolzano. Moreover, Bolzano will have 12 Solaris hydrogen buses delivered in 2021.