All-Electric Bus Pilot Notches Success in NYC
BYD and the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) have successfully concluded a pilot test on a BYD 40-foot, zero-emissions, battery-electric bus — with 24-hour service possible on a single night-time charge.
The test period was from Aug 25th to Oct 25th. “The general purpose of the program was to evaluate how an electric bus could perform in New York City’s heavy traffic, whether the electric bus can meet the twin challenges of operating in the stop-and-go traffic of Manhattan while maintaining high levels of passenger comfort and operational performance,” said MTA’s spokesman Kevin Ortiz.
The bus tested at MTA was supplied by BYD Motors, based out of Southern California, and offers a range of 140-155 miles average between charges. Charging is intended to only be completed at night during off peak hours to reduce unwanted demand on the grid, and takes only 3 to 4 hours to return to full capacity.
BYD Motor’s President, Ms Stella Li stated that she was, “delighted to see the vision and leadership of the New York MTA” and believes “that electrified transport solutions will bring about not only an economic recovery for the region but also an environmental recovery.”
The testing was carried out on different routes throughout Manhattan and the total distance covered during the trial was 1,481 miles. The BYD all-electric bus “performed excellent” with an average battery consumption of 1.4 miles per % SOC, translating to over 140 miles per full charge in heavy traffic.
These uninterrupted operational hours are more meaningful in a busy city like New York, as routes and speeds traveled tend to be short in distance but long in duration. BYD noted that when contrasted to Diesel bus technology, “BYD’s electric buses are far more efficient in energy consumption because Diesel engines are still idling when in heavy or stopped traffic.”
About BYD
BYD is a publicly-traded company with no Chinese government ownership. U.S. investors own over 60% of the public stock, with Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway owning 9.9% of that amount. BYD’s mission is to create safer and more environmentally-friendly battery technologies, and this has produced the BYD Iron Phosphate Battery. More info at: www.byd.com.
Category: Engines & Drivetrains, General Update, Green, Vehicles
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