Hybrid electric drives set to dazzle buses 22 March 2010

More than 50 hybrid electric drive systems, designed to power double-decker buses in Oxford and Manchester, have been delivered to Alexander Dennis (ADL) by BAE Systems.

The 56 buses are the first of 300 vehicles that will use the electric technology around the UK, as part of the Department for Transport's £30 million Green Bus Fund, designed to provide financial incentives to those operators adopting eco-friendly technologies.

Stagecoach Group will take delivery of the first finished vehicles in the summer. In operation, the diesel-electric HybriDrive system from BAE, that is installed in the new ADL Enviro 400h hybrid buses, will deliver fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions that are up to 30% lower than conventional buses.

The HybriDrive system consists of a generator, an electric motor, and an energy storage system managed by computerized controls. A diesel engine that turns the generator operates independently of the electric drive motor, allowing it to run at nearly constant speed for optimum efficiency. The system also uses no mechanical transmission, a major maintenance item on conventional diesel buses.

"We have been impressed with the performance, reliability, and product support in the UK provided by BAE Systems' hybrid technology," commented Adrian Havlin, the group technical engineer at Stagecoach.

"These new hybrid vehicles are part of a package of measures to make our operations more sustainable and attract people to our greener, smarter public transport services. We are looking forward to being the first operator of these next-generation buses outside of London."

Author
John Challen

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