"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
09/12/2014 at 15:49 • Filed to: None
0
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"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
09/12/2014 at 15:49 • Filed to: None | 0
| 1 |
(Yes, a buss. This quick test was carried out on routes 40 and 72 in Stockholm. For linguistic reasons the Swedes go on the buss and for the same reasons could join a klubb or go to a hotell).
The Lion's City, which must get the prize for the stupidest name since the Yamaha Pantryboy Supreme, is usually conventionally driven but Stockholm's bus operator has just bought a fleet of 52 diesel hybrids. They have a 250 bhp diesel and a pair of 75 kw motors. It's a serial hybrid, with the engine driving the wheels via the motors. On the roof, which would seem to be an odd place to plant 400kg worth of equipment if this were a car, are a group of supercapacitors which look after the energy recovery. They charge and discharge faster than batteries but have a smaller capacity.
When you step inside, it's, well, a buss. You sit if you can, otherwise you hang on. The difference between this and any other bus is what it doesn't do, which is produce any noise when it's stopped. Just like a Prius or its rivals the engine stops when the buss stops and stays stopped until some time after you move off.
I was stationed near the back when moving off and was slightly surprised by the noise from the electric powertrain. We're used to near silence from EVs but this one produces a noticeable whine. What happens next and when depends on how much juice has been supercapacitated aloft but typically the buss moves about its own length under electric power before the engine cuts in. Noise then increases considerably as you accelerate but the engagement of the engine isn't otherwise detectable.
As you slow down the engine usually stops as you get down to about walking speed but this depends on the charge of the capacitors which in its turn depends on how much braking the buss has had to do since its last start. Vigorous slowing will give enough of a charge to allow the engine stop, otherwise it may keep on running for a while while stationary.Sometimes it stops just as the driver moves off and you can almost hear it thinking "but I've just stopped!"
Performance? Handling? Ride? They're all fine for a vehicle operating in an environment where you can't usually legally exceed 50 km/h. No doubt it'll go faster but the economics of operating a vehicle like this in steady speed driving don't stack up.
Finally, I'm told one of these will set you back something on the expensive side of €300,000 or about 50% more than a conventionally driven bus. Fuel savings are said to be in the order of 30% which is going to take a long time to pay off the extra.
For Sweden
> Cé hé sin
09/12/2014 at 15:57 |
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