Edmonton, Canada: Edmonton Transit System (ETS) added some stealth to its fleet. It began testing two electric buses – known as ETS Stealth buses – this week. The buses run quietly and cleanly and are more cost-effective to fuel and maintain than diesel engine buses currently used. Operated entirely on electricity, ETS Stealth buses have no exhaust pipes and generate zero emissions when being driven.
“We are very excited to be introducing electric bus technology to Edmonton streets,” said Councillor Andrew Knack. “The City of Edmonton is committed to finding the best combination of transportation technologies to enhance Edmonton’s sustainability, and we’re eager to see how well the ETS Stealth bus delivers ETS service across the city.”
Photo courtesy of BYD
The ETS Stealth buses will run on various ETS routes across the city, travelling with regularly scheduled buses in service and for special events. Passengers can board free of charge. Instead of paying a fare, passengers will be asked to complete a survey describing their experience riding an electric bus. “Public feedback is essential to determining the success of the ETS Stealth pilot project,” said ETS Bus Operations Divisional Supervisor Linda Kadatz. “We hope to hear from every ETS Stealth passenger so that we can make an informed decision later this year about pursuing electric bus technology in our long-term fleet replacement plans.”
The ETS Stealth buses are on lease from BYD Company Ltd. (Build Your Dreams) until October 2014. During the four-month pilot ETS will evaluate the suitability of the ETS Stealth bus based on several factors, including passenger load capacity, passenger comfort, reliability and how well the buses navigate Edmonton’s roadway network. For more information, please visit edmonton.ca/future-transit.
About Edmonton Transit System
Edmonton Transit System, also called ETS, is the public transit service owned and operated by the city of Edmonton, Alberta. ETS provides service for buses and light-rail transit vehicles within Edmonton City limits, in addition to Fort Saskatchewan, Spruce Grove, and the Edmonton Garrison at Namao. It also provides connections to suburban transit services operated by the City of St.
Albert and Strathcona County. ETS also provide service to Leduc. ETS operates an entire fleet of accessible ~960 low floor buses, which have been progressively introduced into the system since 1993. These include the 40-foot buses and 60-foot articulated models. ETS uses the timed-transfer system, where suburban feeder routes run to a transit centre, and passengers can then transfer to a base route to the city centre or the university. During peak hours, some feeder routes provide direct express service to and from the city centre. For more information, please visit edmonton.ca/future-transit.
Photo courtesy of BYD
About BYD
BYD Company Ltd. is one of China’s largest companies and has successfully expanded globally. Specializing in battery technologies, their green mission to “solve the whole problem” has made them industry pioneers and leaders in several High-tech sectors including High-efficiency Automobiles, Electrified Public Transportation, Environmentally-Friendly Energy Storage, Affordable Solar Power and Information Technology and Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) services.
As the world’s largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries, their mission to create safer and more environmentally friendly battery technologies has led to the development of the BYD Iron Phosphate (or “Fe”) Battery. This fire-safe, completely recyclable and incredibly long-cycle technology has become the core of their clean energy platform that has expanded into automobiles, buses, trucks, utility vehicles and energy storage facilities. BYD and all of their shareholders, including the great American Investor Warren Buffett, see these environmentally and economically forward products as the way of the future.
BYD has made a strong entrance to the North, Central and South American markets with their battery electric buses, and lineup of automobiles. Their mission lies not just in sales growth, but also in sociological integration and local job creation as they have poured incredible investments into developing offices, dealerships and manufacturing facilities in the local communities they now call home, truly a first for Chinese companies. For more information, please visit www.byd.com
Hangzhou, Zhejiang, P.R. China: BYD Company Ltd. has received a record-setting order for their new energy vehicles. Situated in east China along the Qiantang River lies Hangzhou, a place commonly referred to as China’s most beautiful cities. In response to China’s deteriorating air quality and ecological environment, Hangzhou’s Leadership has taken a serious stance on combatting the issues by adopting zero-emissions public transportation, namely electric buses and taxis.
Pictured Above: The pure-electric BYD e6 Taxi and k9 Transit Bus Courtesy of BYD
The order for 2,000 long-range, battery-electric transit buses and 1,000 long-range, pure-electric cars was signed this week by the Mayor of Hangzhou, Hongming Zhang and is one of the world’s largest all-electric fleets ever ordered. “Hangzhou is a beautiful place with a rich history and culture, as well as a great environment for investment. BYD is excited to bring our world-leading electric transportation technologies to Hangzhou and witness the vision and dreams of this leadership team come to pass,” said BYD Ltd founder and Chairman, Wang Chuanfu. The order is a remarkable achievement for BYD, cementing their place as the world’s preeminent electric-fleet provider. “There is simply no other company that manufactures and delivers fleets of electric cars and electric busesby the thousands! The R&D expertise, manufacturing scale and component spend leverage BYD is gaining from building and delivering these fleets has put us years ahead of any possible competitor,” said BYD America Vice President Micheal Austin who just delivered BYD’s first American-made long-range, electric buses last week to California’s Governor Jerry Brown.
Pictured Above: Mayor Hongming Zhang and BYD’s Wang Chuanfu Courtesy of BYD
Hangzhou is home to Alibaba, another high-tech Chinese company known for game-changing innovations. “Today the electric vehicle market is growing and EV technologies have matured to the point where every city transit should be adopting them. The turning point of new energy is now, and we want to see BYD grow the same way we saw Jack Ma’s Alibaba grow years ago,” said Secretary Gong Zheng of Hangzhou’s Municipal Committee. BYD will be making special arrangements to deliver the first 1,000 buses and 500 eTaxis by the end of 2014.
About BYD
BYD Company Ltd. is one of China’s largest companies and has successfully expanded globally. Specializing in battery technologies, their green mission to “solve the whole problem” has made them industry pioneers and leaders in several High-tech sectors including High-efficiency Automobiles, Electrified Public Transportation, Environmentally-Friendly Energy Storage, Affordable Solar Power and Information Technology and Original Design Manufacturing (ODM) services.
As the world’s largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries, their mission to create safer and more environmentally friendly battery technologies has led to the development of the BYD Iron Phosphate (or “Fe”) Battery. This fire-safe, completely recyclable and incredibly long-cycle technology has become the core of their clean energy platform that has expanded into automobiles, buses, trucks, utility vehicles and energy storage facilities. BYD and all of their shareholders, including the great American Investor Warren Buffett, see these environmentally and economically forward products as the way of the future.
BYD has made a strong entrance to the North, Central and South American markets with their battery electric buses, and lineup of automobiles. Their mission lies not just in sales growth, but also in sociological integration and local job creation as they have poured incredible investments into developing offices, dealerships and manufacturing facilities in the local communities they now call home, truly a first for Chinese companies. For more information, please visit www.byd.com
BOMBARDIER PRIMOVE e-mobility solution for electric buses in public service for the first time in Braunschweig, Germany
World’s first inductive fast charging system with 200 kW in passenger operation
Automatic wireless charging for trams, buses, trucks and cars opens up new possibilities for environmentally friendly, quiet and convenient transportation
Photo courtesy of Bombardier
Transport operator Braunschweiger Verkehrs-AG’s first electric bus equipped with Bombardier PRIMOVE technology began revenue service today in Germany. In the presence of senior federal and state representatives, the PRIMOVE electric bus completed its first regular passenger service in the city. This marks another important milestone for the practical application of the PRIMOVE system.
The passenger service has started with a 12 m long electric solo bus operating on the central circular line M19. From October, four additional 18 m articulated e-buses will be phased in. It will be the first time that eco-friendly 18 m electric buses have replaced conventional buses in regular passenger operation.
Image courtesy of Bombardier
Each bus is equipped with the wireless PRIMOVE fast-charging system and the new PRIMOVE high-performance batteries. In Braunschweig, the world’s first inductive charging system is coming into use. With an output of 200 kW, it charges electric buses in just a few seconds, enabling them to cover the distance to the next charging station with ease.
In recent weeks, the 12 m e-bus already approved by TÜV SÜD underwent final system and load tests, enabling the TÜV approval of the entire PRIMOVE system in Braunschweig in time for the start of passenger operation. These included 280 recorded charging cycles, almost 3,000 km travelled electrically and various tests for electrical safety and electromagnetic emission.
For passengers, the PRIMOVE system will remain largely inaudible and invisible. The electric buses are not only quieter and cause less vibration than conventional diesel buses, they also accelerate more evenly – a much smoother ride awaits passengers in Braunschweig. The PRIMOVE high power charging pads embedded in concrete are installed under the road surface at the main station and at selected stops. The primary electrical installation is also integrated underground at the bus stops. The cooling units for those wayside power electronics have been neatly integrated into an advertising pillar and the shelter at the bus stop. The location of primary and wayside components underground or in existing street furniture offers great advantages to urban planners compared to conductive charging solutions.
As the world’s leading rail technology provider, Bombardier has a clear vision of the cities of tomorrow. We imagine cities where all vehicles are electric and where mass transit vehicles do not alter the landscape but seamlessly integrate to provide quiet and emission-free urban mobility. With the PRIMOVE portfolio, Bombardier is paving the way for transport operators and vehicle manufacturers to make an easy and convenient transition to electric mobility for all electric vehicles – from trams and buses to trucks and cars. The start of passenger services with the first PRIMOVE electric bus in Braunschweig proves that this vision has matured from an innovative idea to reality.
About the PRIMOVE Pilot project in Braunschweig
Under the term “emil” (electric mobility by means of inductive charging), the Technical University of Braunschweig and the energy supplier BS | Energy are participating as partners in the innovative project in Braunschweig along with Braunschweiger Verkehrs-AG and Bombardier. It is being funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.
The electric buses from the manufacturer Solaris are fully charged overnight in the bus depot. A quick recharge of the batteries during the regular 10 minute interval at the last station is sufficient to ensure the smooth operation of the12 m solo e-bus on the 12 km route. The 18 m articulated buses require more energy and are therefore additionally charged for a few seconds at two intermediate bus stops. This custom-made charging concept ensures a maximum battery life and an uninterrupted operation with a clean e-mobility solution on the existing bus route.
An overview of how the PRIMOVE system works and how it compares to diesel buses is available on YouTube:
About the PRIMOVE portfolio
With its flexible PRIMOVE portfolio, Bombardier offers the world’s only one-stop shop for true e-mobility: The fully integrated system for electric rail and road vehicles allows cities and the transport industry to easily incorporate electric mobility. The complete package includes the inductive PRIMOVE fast charging system, the lightweight, long-life PRIMOVE batteries and the efficient PRIMOVE propulsion.
Further PRIMOVE projects
Bombardier is currently also working on implementing its PRIMOVE system for electric buses in Mannheim and Berlin, Germany, and in Bruges, Belgium. For the booming Chinese city of Nanjing, trams are being equipped with lightweight and long-life PRIMOVE batteries. In addition, tests with a dynamically charged truck were successfully completed in Mannheim in January 2014.
About Bombardier
Bombardier is the world’s only manufacturer of both planes and trains. Looking far ahead while delivering today, Bombardier is evolving mobility worldwide by answering the call for more efficient, sustainable and enjoyable transportation everywhere. Our vehicles, services and, most of all, our employees are what make us a global leader in transportation.
Bombardier is headquartered in Montréal, Canada. Our shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (BBD) and we are listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World and North America Indexes. In the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013, we posted revenues of $18.2 billion. News and information are available at bombardier.com or follow us on Twitter @Bombardier.
This article is a repost, credit: Bombardier. Video courtesy of Bombardier.
Transport researcher Liv Øvstedal at SINTEF is working on a system in which electric cars themselves will be able to order charging by searching for charging stations and calculating their time to arrival. Photo: Thor Nielsen Courtesy of SINTEF
Researchers are aiming to remove the electric car market’s biggest problem – the fear of not reaching the next charging station.
Both in Norway and in Europe there is considerable interest in facilitating electric mobility and removing polluting goods and passenger transport from towns. There are critics out there, and European vehicle sales give no cause for rejoicing, since only 0.2 per cent of private cars sold are electrically powered. However, Norway saw a doubling of sales last year, with a total of 4,009 cars, and the number of electric cars on Norwegian roads is now around 11,000.
Simpler charging is also on its way, and the cost-effectiveness of electric goods vehicles and electric buses is being tested on Norwegian roads.
Electric cars call for experienced drivers
“One of the main challenges in getting more people to choose electric cars is the fear that their batteries will run flat and they won’t find anywhere to charge them,” says Liv Øvstedal at SINTEF. “Although a new generation of electric cars is now on its way, offering rapid charging and a greater range, we realise that the problem of charging and charging stations concerns people who are thinking of buying a new car. The cold, damp Norwegian climate represents an added burden for electric car owners. Motorists often need a year’s experience of driving the cars to feel safe with them in all seasons of the year.”
Communication platform in the car
Transport researchers at SINTEF want to make it possible to calculate the range of a car more precisely than at present, and to provide the driver with full information at all times.
“We envisage a system where the car is equipped with a simple GPS unit on which the driver plots the route. The car should be able to order its own charging by looking up charging stations and calculating when it will reach them. If changes occur during a journey, the program should adjust. We are now working on getting all the pieces in place to make this work,” says Øvstedal.
A small technical pilot scheme has been planned in Trondheim, as well as a larger demonstration project next year involving 200 electric cars on the road between Oslo and Kongsberg.
“Many people in Europe have the same ideas as we do, but we have yet to see such a system in practice. We believe we can make a contribution at a European level by organising demonstrations and working towards a business model,” says Liv Øvstedal.
Electric goods vehicles
But what about all the goods transport in town centres, and the big diesel vehicles idling outside shops while they unload goods? Can these be replaced by electric vehicles?
According to Øvstedal, we are keen to point out that Norway has the greatest density of electric vehicles per head of population in the world, but when it comes to goods transport we are a long way behind. Small historical towns in Europe, with their narrow streets, have been using electric goods vehicles for a long time.
Last year, the Norwegian company BRING tested several electric vehicles for express goods delivery, and data from the Grønn Bydistribusjon (Green Urban Distribution) project were so encouraging that the company purchased an electric goods vehicle for permanent use.
The company is now involved in the EU project FREVUE, in which Oslo is one of eight participating European cities. The project will evaluate the operation of four electric vehicles – two large ones approaching 7 tonnes, and two smaller ones ¬– within the area bounded by the city’s outer ring road. They will be used for express door-to-door delivery of packages, such as orders from IKEA.
Collecting and evaluating data
In goods distribution work the focus is on solutions which are environmentally friendly, efficient and financially sustainable. “We must always have a clear picture of what we want to achieve,” says Hanne Gabriel, a research scientist at SINTEF. According to her, the Oslo projects address several problems: The researchers shall investigate technical issues such as how well vehicles function when loaded. Conditions related to charging and electricity supply are another issue: Can the vehicles function for a whole day without recharging? What “carrots” and incentives can be offered to purchase electric vehicles, and what about the logistics of their use? “We want to check whether electric goods vehicles in the city can contribute to improved air quality, and whether we can facilitate the routing and transhipment of goods so as to avoid using large diesel vehicles in the city centre.” In other words we will test whether terminals on the outskirts of Oslo can be used as loading and unloading facilities where goods can be sorted and transhipped to electric vehicles for the last stage of their transport into the centre. The demonstration project will start next year.
Critical voices
Even amid the choir of electric car enthusiasts there are also researchers asking difficult questions. Steffen Møller-Holst at SINTEF Energy Research believes that battery-powered vehicles will play a very important role in the emission-free transport of the future, but that this will happen in combination with hybrids, rechargeable hybrids and hydrogen-powered vehicles.
“The different vehicle technologies will dominate in different transport segments, and all have advantages and disadvantages. We must therefore assess both the vehicle and its environmental soundness in a cradle-to-grave perspective,” he says.
A joint American-Chinese research report (Shuguang, Ji et. al: Electric Vehicles in China: Emissions and Health Impacts) proves that vehicles powered by electricity from coal-fired power stations result in more soot emissions per passenger kilometre than cars powered by petrol and diesel. Compared with petrol and diesel powered vehicles, electric vehicles therefore turn out to be the worst polluters in large countries like China, India and the US.
Other critics highlight vehicle manufacture, where batteries also have a climate-related cost. Anders Hammer Strømman and his colleagues at NTNU have, for example, discovered that the building of an electric car causes about twice as much greenhouse gases to be emitted as during the construction of a petrol- or diesel-powered vehicle.
Expensive technology for electric buses
Another thing which must be tested is whether electric buses will be a good investment for Norway in the future. The government-funded agency Transnova – the transport industry’s equivalent of Enova – has initiated a project in which SINTEF researchers will make an assessment of the electric buses on the market and find out which are suitable for use in Norway.
“What’s positive about introducing research and starting tests and demonstration projects is that knowledge and experience are shared and can benefit many different parties. Based on research and experience, the technology can subsequently be developed and improved,” says Hanne Gabriel.
What do you know so far?
“We know that the technology is expensive, and that many operators are waiting until more experience is available. But this must be broken. As long as nobody dares to get involved, no new and more efficient technologies can be developed, either,” says Liv Øvstedal. “Because although the initial investments are large, the operating costs are lower than with diesel-powered vehicles, and low operating costs mean that the venture will pay in the long run!”
KEY FACTS:
In January 2013 there were 3,746 charging stations for electric cars in Norway. EV Power is currently constructing a network of quick charging stations to CHAdeMO standard in Mid-Norway. The first chargers were put into operation in December 2011. An 80 per cent charge level is obtained after 20-30 minutes of charging.
The Green Urban Distribution project is owned by Oslo Municipality and is testing the effect of moving more goods transport to night-time and making use of more electric vehicles.
TrønderTaxi in Trondheim has operated five electric cars as airport taxis for a year, also in combination with city centre and suburban use. Based on GPS data, researchers can see the connections between energy consumption, type of traffic, speed, topography and air temperature.
Thirty research institutes in eight European countries are participating in the EU project FREVUE (Freight Electric Vehicles in Urban Europe), which is investigating a number of issues related to charging, finance, logistics and incentives. See http://frevue.eu/
For the next decade, the largest electric vehicle sector will be industrial and commercial electric vehicles on land. In great contrast to the hybrid and pure electric cars that come next in market size, industrial and commercial electric vehicles are almost never bought by private individuals. That means that they are almost never bought on up-front price, the criteria being cost-over-life, reliability and performance with any extra life over conventional versions much appreciated. Component suppliers can enjoy improved margins provided they supply what is needed. This means that innovation is more likely to be funded for such vehicles and loss-making sub-sectors are seldom encountered unlike the situation with hybrid and pure electric cars or pure electric bicycles and scooters.
The total market analysis is available in the unique IDTechEx research report, Hybrid & Pure Electric Vehicles for Land, Water & Air 2013-2023: Forecasts, Technologies, Players with the industrial and commercial sector covered thoroughly in Industrial & Commercial Hybrid & Pure Electric Vehicles 2013-2023: Forecasts, Opportunities, Players.
The industrial and commercial sector, that now drives the electric vehicle business, consists of heavy industrial vehicles which are mainly forklifts but with other sectors coming up fast – earthmoving, mining, agricultural and outdoor self-propelled electric cranes. Add to that buses and light electric vehicles including trucks and custom made taxis. Industrial companies buy the heavy electric vehicles (meaning heavy lifting or pushing) but government, including local government, tends to bankroll light electric vehicles. Buses are boosted by the plan of the Chinese government to use and export them in huge numbers. The marine electric vehicle sector, which IDTechEx reports separately, is vibrant not least because of industrial applications such as tugboats, both pure electric and particularly hybrid. To take one instance, Caterpillar Marine Power Systems with Aspin Kemp & Associates has recently developed a Powered Marine Hybrid System that provides fuel savings of up to 25% and emissions reductions. A recent Californian Air Resources Board study found a 73% reduction in particulate matter, 50% reduction in NOx and 26% reduction in CO2 . Significant improvements are also seen in performance, control and noise levels.
How are the markets moving?
There is a great disparity between the growth rates of the different sectors within the industrial and commercial vehicle business. Pure electric forklifts suffered a double digit annual percentage collapse in sales in the global recession 2008/9 then double digit recovery which ended in 2012 with only 3% annual numbers growth. IDTechEx therefore projects a 4% annual growth in numbers in this largely indoor category. There will be little change in average unit price as more sophisticated versions are adopted such as those with the more expensive Li-ion batteries offsetting cost reductions. By contrast, a rapidly increasing percentage of Class 4/5 forklifts will become hybrid. This is essentially an outdoor category. Even the vehicles for mining are mainly used outdoors in open cast mining and as surface runabouts. We saw the first models of all of these outdoor heavy industrial electric vehicles appear on the market in the last five years, initially constituting a very small part of the ranges on offer.
For example, John Deere launched its first large loaders with hybrid powertrains two years ago. It spent years talking with quarry and other large loader customers about what they wanted in a nine-yard production loader. That collaboration between customer and engineer resulted in the new 944K wheel loader with a hybrid-electric drivetrain.
“In addition to fewer emissions, customers asked for durability, fuel efficiency and reduced tire wear,” said John Chesterman, product marketing manager for 4WD loaders with John Deere. “We’ve responded with a loader that incorporates four modular, independent wheel drives with electronic traction control.”
John Deere’s hybrid-electric drivetrain manages with a smaller diesel engine which drives a generator to create electricity that is used by electric motors to drive the wheels. The hybrid-electric drivetrain provides significantly increased fuel efficiency – up to 25% saving – reduced tire wear, and increased durability and reliability through fewer moving parts. A larger version was launched in 2013.
Market size
An indication of market size is given by the IDTechEx number projections for 2020. There will be 706,000 pure electric forklifts sold in that year, almost all for indoor use where internal combustion is usually illegal. There will be 750,000 other heavy industrial vehicles sold, mainly Class 4/5 hybrid forklifts used outdoors and self-propelled cranes for outdoors followed by agricultural, mining and earthmoving electric vehicles. The average ex-factory price of heavy industrial EVs will more than double over the coming decade as larger vehicles in this category become electric in large numbers.
Electric buses will sell at the 110,000 level in 2020, most of them pure electric versions for China and made in China, despite their up-front price often being 60-100% higher than conventional versions. Thanks to over 200 suppliers, 377,000 light industrial and commercial electric vehicles will be sold in the form of on-road versions, notably delivery vehicles which are a robustly growing market, and off-road versions such as airport ground support equipment (GSE) which enjoys more modest growth, on IDTechEx analysis. There are about 300,000 GSE vehicles in the world’s airports today, including non-passenger airports such as military, freight and oil industry. Over $2 billion is spent yearly on GSE in normal years. About 100,000 GSE in use are now electric, up from 60,000 in 2000. These are replaced every seven to ten years. Therefore, with growth in base numbers and adding terminal (non GSE) applications such as airport shuttle buses and golf car types for the disabled in the terminal buildings, the sale of EVs to airport applications is 30-39,000 units yearly in 2013, most being for the USA followed by Asia, in contrast to electric forklifts where Europe is by far the dominant purchasing area.
Fig 1. Industrial and commercial EVs market value breakdown by sector in 2020.
Source: IDTechEx report Industrial & Commercial Hybrid & Pure Electric Vehicles 2013-2023: Forecasts, Opportunities, Players Courtesy of IDTechEx
Manufacturers add sectors
The more savvy manufacturers leverage their electric technologies across more and more sectors of the industrial and commercial electric vehicle business, MAN of Germany makes electric buses and large trash-collecting trucks. Caterpillar is in electric earthmoving land vehicles and marine workboats and Nissan and Toyota make electric forklifts, electric delivery vehicles and so on, with Toyota strong in e-buses as well.
A key IDTechEx report for land-based vehicles is, Industrial & Commercial Hybrid & Pure Electric Vehicles 2013-2023: Forecasts, Opportunities, Players. It is very frequently updated to reflect the rapid progress of this, the heart of the electric vehicle industry. For the marine aspect, see the IDTechEx report, Electric Boats, Small Submarines and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) 2013-2023.
Industrial and commercial electric vehicles are not as glamorous or familiar as electric cars but, as they used to say in England, “Where there’s muck there’s brass,” meaning money. Those seeking the biggest unit numbers or the prestige will go elsewhere.
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About IDTechEx
IDTechEx (www.IDTechEx.com) guides your strategic business decisions through its Research and Events services, helping you profit from emerging technologies. We provide independent research, business intelligence and advice to companies across the value chain based on our core research activities and methodologies providing data sought by business leaders, strategists and emerging technology scouts to aid their business decisions.
Fast growing automotive supplier BYD has scored a major victory – it has been selected to supply a new fleet of electric buses to transfer passengers between the terminals and aircraft at Europe’s leading airport, Amsterdam Schiphol. The emission free BYD ebus models, due to enter service in July 2014, will replace an ageing fleet of specialised conventionally powered buses.
The SUBSS Project (SUstainable Bus System Schiphol) aims to provide a new generation of emission free airside transfer vehicles which will enhance the airport’s image with passengers and airlines, reduce bus maintenance and management costs and improve air quality by reducing the emission of CO2 and NOx.
The order, won through competitive tender in the face of intense pressure from four other established suppliers, is a major triumph for BYD since Amsterdam’s leading position makes it a role model in the airport industry. All European airports are facing pressures to cut harmful emissions.
BYD ebus Image courtesy of BYD
The BYD ebus is a well proven full size single deck bus which has completed more than 17 million kilometres in passenger carrying services and has been trialled in major cities across Europe.
BYD, which has its European headquarters in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, is rolling out a wide range of pure electric vehicles, including buses and taxis, as part of its Green City Solutions programme. All these vehicles use the company’s advanced and environmentally friendly iron-phosphate Fe batteries for their power.
Jos Nijhuis, CEO & President Schiphol Group: “Amsterdam Airport Schiphol will be the first airport in the world making bus transport at airside electric. After a European open tender, the contract was awarded to the best bid in terms of quality, energy performance and price. The switch to electric buses will help us in creating a healthier and more pleasant environment for travellers and employees alike. The buses will be put into operation in 2014, making transportation at the airport more environmentally friendly and more sustainable.”
“Winning this contract is a vital step in our programme to deliver emissions free public transport vehicles”, said Isbrand Ho, BYD Europe’s Managing Director. “We won this contract on the strength of our proven technology and ability to support what is a 10-year operating contract. We are fully confident that this high-profile contract will persuade many other bus operators – inside and outside the airport business – that we can meet their needs.”
The motivation behind the Schiphol SUBSS project is complex. Some of the current buses are approaching the end of their technical service life, mainly because of wear and tear of the fossil fuel engines which rarely reach optimal operating temperatures on short journeys from terminal to aircraft. This results in high maintenance costs and poor emissions performance. Research has shown that passengers consider the inhaling of emissions to be very annoying. The current buses have also proved to be too big at 14 metres long and 2.7 metres wide for the Schiphol airside infrastructure, resulting in regular accidental damage.
The emissions free BYD ebus is 12m metres long – the same size as normal buses operating on city streets.
Comfort of journey and fuel savings
The BYD ebus delivers a host of benefits not only for the environment but also for the public transport and the bus operator. It does not emit any harmful fumes into the environment. What is more, it is very quiet and ensures a comfortable journey without the vibrations, jerks or noise associated with the conventional buses with combustion engines.
Zero emission
The BYD ebus is an all-electric vehicle. It does not emit harmful fumes into environment. This pure electric solution guarantees an appropriate range of the bus no matter what the road conditions.
The BYD ebus is a unique vehicle, from the start it was built as an electric bus and not a converted bus from a conventional power unit. What is more, it features appropriate weight distribution, thanks to the smart utilization of the battery weight, and that is why it has great level of driveability. The ebus also has a well-developed system of energy recovery, which allows the batteries to be recharged during braking.
250 km on one charge
The BYD ebus can drive for 250 km even in heavy city traffic after one full charge. Although, as a recent test journey achieving 310km and using only 60% of the battery charge in Poland showed, this may be a conservative figure.
Pure electric BYD buses have been used in public transport since 2011. In China already 1,000 such buses have been built in the city of Shenzhen, 200 BYD electric buses have together accumulated 17 million km in passenger carrying service. In the first quarter of 2013 the BYD ebus obtained full European certification. This allowed the company to start selling buses on the European market. The Dutch province of Friesland is the first place in Europe where BYD electric buses are in use.
BYD ebus
The ebus built by BYD, is the first pure-electric bus powered by Iron-Phosphate battery in the world. More than 250 BYD ebuses are now in passenger carrying operations – by far the largest number from any bus brand. BYD ebus measures 12 meters long and is designed for customer transport comfort in mind. The technically advanced and specially designed wheel-hub motor, and its electronically controlled air suspension can offer customers a product with an exceptionally low floor, multiple door choices, and ample floor space for easy passenger access.
The imposing windscreen occupies two thirds of the frontal area of the bus for maximum viewing as well as safety. The bus body conveys an elegant exterior image, while the interior boasts an air of quality with adjustable driver’s seat, durable seats for passengers and a carefully engineered sound insulation keeping the interior ride whisper quiet.
BYD’s pure electric bus employs many advanced technologies developed in-house by BYD’s 15,000 engineers strong R&D team. For example, the Iron-Phosphate battery or “Fe Battery” used on the BYD ebus is safe and non-polluting: the materials contained in the battery can be recycled or safely disposed of.
BYD ebus Project
Orders have been awarded in China, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Uruguay, Canada and the United States. The BYD electric bus has also been successfully tested in many cities in Europe including Madrid, Barcelona, Budapest, Salzburg, and etc. The accumulated mileage of the 200 electric buses operating in the city of Shenzhen (China) alone have exceeded 17 million kilometers by the end of June 2013.
BYD ebus Highlights
Environmentally friendly
No direct emissions • Low noise • Recyclable Fe battery: no toxic electrolytes and no heavy metals
Advanced technology
Regenerative Braking • Wheel-hub motor • Fe battery • Charging convenience • Fully charged in 5 hours.
Extended range
The BYD ebus is able to run 250 km (155 miles ) on a single charge in urban conditions
Safety
Unibody construction • 4-wheel disc brakes • ABS and ASR
Passenger-oriented design
Airy designed interior space with low-entry • Special ramps for wheelchair access • Non-step passenger cabin
Wheel-hub Motor
The in-house developed rear drive axle installed on the BYD ebus is the core technology in BYD’s electric buses. The rear drive axle system integrates the wheel-hub drive and regenerative braking technologies, and at the same time, provides exceptional passenger comfort.
Compared to the conventional motor, the rear drive axle system has no gear box, no transmission shaft, and eliminating differential mechanism. Therefore, BYD is able to cut down the bus weight by 300kg and also greatly saving space. Thanks to the revolutionary design, power from the motor is directly transmitted to the driving wheels. There are significant improvements in power propulsion efficiency and reductions in noise and vibration.
Charging Facilities
The on-board AC charging technology developed by BYD is unique to the electric bus, requiring only 5 hours to fully recharge the BYD ebus.
Since the AC charging system has a direct connection to the grid, it can charge not only the batteries but correspondingly, in an emergency, transmit power back onto the grid from the batteries, for example, in a black out situation.
On-board AC charging system advantages:
Independent of charging stations.
Charging box is much smaller and lighter, and more convenient to transport than a conventional charging cabinet.
Low maintenance costs.
Suitable for various locations; easy to operate.
Charging is both safe and pollution free, therefore charging box can be installed in the building without concerns for hydrogen gas emission..
Operators are encouraged to take advantage of the off-peak hours in the evening to charge the vehicles reducing demand pressure on the grid.
Electricity can be transmitted back onto the grid from the on-board batteries, when necessary, for emergency power supply.
AC charging system is more cost-effective than DC charging system.
This article is a repost, credit: BYD, http://www.byd.com/na/news/news-169.html.
First BYD Electric e6 Cars Arrive In Europe And The UK Photo courtesy of BYD
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – June 13, 2013: More than 50 of BYD e6 pure electric cars have arrived in the UK and will be going on trial with a number of fleet operators in the coming months. The right-hand drive cars were offloaded at Southampton docks and are in the process of being registered.
BYD is the fastest-growing Chinese car manufacturer and its e6 pure electric car has the longest range of any new electric car in the UK at 186 miles (300km). In the UK, they will be going into service with a number of fleets, including private hire operations that will allow passengers to experience them. The cars have been fully homologated for use on European roads.
Managing Director of BYD Europe B.V, Mr. Isbrand Ho said: “We are very excited with the arrival of our e6 pure electric cars in the UK. The e6 has zero tailpipe emissions, reducing air pollution, and also benefits from significantly lower running costs than conventional petrol or diesel cars. The model is well-proven, having driven over 14 million miles in key global markets.”
About BYD
BYD Co., Ltd is a leading-edge provider of green energy technologies that specializes in the IT, automotive, and new energy industries. Being the world’s biggest rechargeable battery manufacturer, BYD also has the largest global market share for cell-phone chargers and keypads. BYD branched out into the auto business in 2003, and has kept a robust yearly growth rate successively. In 2008, Warren Buffett invested $232 million to take a 9.89% stake in BYD. Today, BYD is the fastest-growing Chinese auto company and a global pioneer in the field of new energy vehicles including Dual Mode Electric Passenger Cars, Pure electric Buses and Pure Electric Vans /Trucks.
Based on its core Fe Battery technology, BYD has worked out a Green City Solution, which aims to electrify urban public transportation systems by transitioning from gasoline and diesel buses and taxis to pure electric ones. In March 2012, BYD and Daimler AG officially announced the entirely new EV brand Denza in China.
This article is a repost, credit: BYD, http://www.byd.com/na/index.html.
