Hybrid Coaches?

[MotCO]

There are obviously hybrid buses and electric coaches, but are there any hybrid coaches? With my non-technical mind, I would have thought that an engine running at constant speed to recharge batteries would be the most efficient, more efficient than a straight diesel, and more flexible than a straight battery coach (e.g. a battery coach on a holiday tour may not have easy access to recharging facilities).

Are there any plans to develop a hybrid coach, if not, why not?

 

[carlberry]

There are obviously hybrid buses and electric coaches, but are there any hybrid coaches? With my non-technical mind, I would have thought that an engine running at constant speed to recharge batteries would be the most efficient, more efficient than a straight diesel, and more flexible than a straight battery coach (e.g. a battery coach on a holiday tour may not have easy access to recharging facilities).

Are there any plans to develop a hybrid coach, if not, why not?

Hybrid is complex and is, basically, a way of extending the life of diesel/petrol technology. Most coaches spend a lot of time running the engine near it's most efficient point so the possible return is small and, I suspect, in most cases a euro 6 straight diesel would be environmentally close to a hybrid and spectacularly cheaper to both buy and run.

 

[randyrippley]

Hybrid vehicles are most effective where you have repeated cycles of braking / acceleration where the energy can be captured from braking and reused rather than lost through heat e.g. a regularly stopping bus. A coach doesn't do that so the options for saving / reusing energy are much restricted in comparison

 

[Jordan Adam]

Hybrid vehicles are most effective where you have repeated cycles of braking / acceleration where the energy can be captured from braking and reused rather than lost through heat e.g. a regularly stopping bus. A coach doesn't do that so the options for saving / reusing energy are much restricted in comparison

In addition to this most of the hybrid buses on the market today are in the long run not much better for the environment and far more expensive to run. I think the B5LH from Volvo is probably one of the few exceptions right now, however the use of a single clutch I-Shift gearbox makes them not ideal for city work.

 

[Kent Dreamer]

There is a Irizar Hybrid Coach that was launched at the end 2017.

https://www.busandcoachbuyer.com/irizar-hybrid-coach-launches-uk/