The uk's 1st fast-charge electric bus

[anthony263]

Just seen this on the BBC news website:

'' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18409830 ''

 

[radamfi]

Oxford used to have an electric Optare Metrorider minibus that ran around the city centre about 15 years ago. Presumably that wouldn't be classed as 'fast charge'.

 

[WatcherZero]

£56,000 worth of batteries is a pain but if the company says they save £120 per bus per day its paying for itself after around a year and half.

 

[LE Greys]

Well, it's an interesting idea. For high-frequency routes, it might be better to have a bus that can run off mains power (say by using poles to connect to wires suspended above the road for instance ). It could then have much smaller batteries and charge up on the move. However, this sounds like a decent answer for low-frequency routes where wiring the route up might not be economical. The two could interface fairly easily.

 

[MCR247]

Shame its an Optare though :roll:

 

[bb21]

Well, it's an interesting idea. For high-frequency routes, it might be better to have a bus that can run off mains power (say by using poles to connect to wires suspended above the road for instance ).

You mean like this?

Don't you know that hybrids and electric traction are all the rage at the moment, to the extent that cheaper alternatives that are just as environmentally friendly are overlooked?

 

[Jonny]

Well, it's an interesting idea. For high-frequency routes, it might be better to have a bus that can run off mains power (say by using poles to connect to wires suspended above the road for instance ). It could then have much smaller batteries and charge up on the move. However, this sounds like a decent answer for low-frequency routes where wiring the route up might not be economical. The two could interface fairly easily.

It would need two poles to carry the current as the ground isn't a viable pick-up option due to non-conductive tyres (unlike for rail where the metal rails act as a pickup even if they don't ^officially ^ carry current).

The two poles means a great deal of difficulty if going off-route.

 

[bb21]

The two poles means a great deal of difficulty if going off-route.

They can be supplemented by onboard battery or other means for off-wire running, as demonstrated successfully by a number of trolleybus systems in the world, for example, Beijing.

 

[jon0844]

Shame its an Optare though :roll:

Yeah. Nice to see the same windows as on the Optare that does my bus route.. nice and leaky when it rains. In fact, sometimes I think it lets water in even on a dry day!

 

[gordonthemoron]

there are trolley buses in operating in Budapest and Riga (made by IVECO) which have batteries which allow for off OHL running

 

[LE Greys]

They can be supplemented by onboard battery or other means for off-wire running, as demonstrated successfully by a number of trolleybus systems in the world, for example, Beijing.

Just Googled that, looks quite good. I wouldn't mind seeing something like that in Luton one day (obviously once the route to Dunstable is wired). Around North Herts, the battery buses might work better, provided they do not run out of power in Little Wymondley.

http://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Att%C4%93ls:Beijing_trolleybus.jpg

 

[MK Tom]

Agree with all the pro-trolleybus talk on here. Battery technology continues to improve, and that's great, but supplying from a static source through wires will remain the more energy-efficient system.

Are these the same electric vehicles that Arriva have on order for MK route 7?

 

[jopsuk]

There were previously extensive networks of trolley busses in the UK- many of the 1st generation tram systems were converted to trolley systems before being completely destroyed

 

[gordonthemoron]

I think I remember getting a trolley bus down Northumberland Street, Newcastle in the 1960s