Volvo's Double Decker Hybrid Bus
Swedish car manufacturer Volvo debuted their B5L Hybrid Double Deck Bus in London yesterday, delivering six of the vehicles to the city. The bus uses an I-SAM parallel hybrid system that combines electric motors with a diesel engine. The bus can drive under power from the electric motors, the diesel engine, or both. The main benefits of the bus is in the lower speed constant starting and stopping conditions that characterize a normal bus route. By utilizing the electric motors for this driving, emissions and fuel consumption is drastically reduced.
The six double deck buses aren’t Volvo’s first foray into hybrid public transportation. Back in May of this year, the company delivered a similar bus to the London bus fleet (it was a single deck), and so far, the vehicle has returned a 30% reduction in fuel costs over a conventional diesel-powered bus. The double deck buses are expected to have a lower return, between 20-25% in fuel costs, due to them having essentially the same drivetrain but carrying the extra weight of the top layer.
The main thing hindering the hybrid bus market is the initial upfront cost. The six double deck buses will act as a test to the city of London to determine whether the higher initial price is worth paying once compared to the average fuel savings over the service time of the vehicle.Tell No One buy Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun film
