Buses World News: June 2013

* ELECTRIC BUSES: French microbus

* France - Mia-Electric microbus to launch in the UK within weeks

(Photo: Mia-Electric is to launch a version of its electric microbus in the UK in the coming weeks) Cerizay,Deux Sevres,France -Gizmag, by James Holloway -June 21, 2013: -- Mia-Electric has announced that its French-made microbus will launch in the UK this summer. It appears that the version of that will initially ship to the UK will be a single-seater with an optional second seat. However, Autocar reports that models with three and four seats could follow... According to the press release we've seen, the UK model will be powered by two lithium-ion phosphate batters... The vehicle is stated to have a range of 74 miles (119 km) and be fully chargeable from flat in 5 hours. Every 10 minutes of charge time is reported to grant an additional 5 miles (8 km) of range...

Labels: electric buses makers

New Cummins' engines Euro 6 certified * USA

* Indiana - Cummins ISB engines certified to Euro 6

Columbus,IND,USA -HGV UK -June 17, 2013: -- Cummins’ latest ISB engines have now been certified to the Euro 6 standards, ready for January 2014. These engines have met all of the stringent levels of particulate matter and oxides of nitrogen when measured on the World Harmonised transient and steady state test cycles. The more challenging on-board diagnostics (OBD) regulations have also been achieved... Available from 150 to 310 ps, the ISB engines are ideal for single and double deck buses and coaches. They use the proven engine technologies of cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) and variable geometry turbocharging (VGT), tailored for European vehicle design and operations. The engine technologies are matched to the aftertreatment system, designed and manufactured by Cummins Emission Solutions. It combines a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) to meet the ultra-low levels of emissions...

Labels: engine makers

* USA - PUBLIC TRANSPORT OF THE FUTURE

How does Elon Musk's Hyperloop work?

(Photo from Shutterstock - What is Elon Musk's Hyperloop?)
Los Angeles,CAL,USA -Gizmag, by Brian Dodson -June 6, 2013: -- Over the past year, Elon Musk, billionaire founder of PayPal, Tesla, and SpaceX, has been floating the notion of a "Hyperloop" as a future replacement for bullet trains; one that would get commuters from San Francisco to Los Angeles in as little as 30 minutes... It's clear that he is proposing a system for subsonic transport. Travelling between downtown LA and downtown SF in 30 minutes gives a speed of about Mach 0.91. The same conclusion comes from working out the average speed of an aircraft. Gate-to-gate, the trip between LAX and SFO (337 miles) is listed by the airlines as one hour and 19 minutes, for an average speed of about 255 mph (410 km/h), or about Mach 0.33. Twice this is Mach 0.66... Obviously there are numerous technical, practical, and political problems in setting up such a system, but it would work, and might not be terribly expensive, at least compared to the California bullet train project...

Labels: future's transports

BUSMAKERS NEWS * India

* India - Scania launches power generation engines in

(Photo)
Bangalore,India -Money Control -Jun 06, 2013: -- Swedish bus and truck maker Scania has forayed into the engine segment in India by launching power generation engines. The company will also offer marine and industrial engines through its network... Scania globally builds around 80,000 engines each year and part of Scania's offer will also include tailored service packages, it said... Scania is investing around Rs 250 crore in setting up its industrial facility near Bangalore and production there is expected to start in mid-2013... The company said it plans to sell 1,000 coaches and 2,000 trucks in the Indian market in the next five years... It had launched its Metrolink range of intercity luxury buses earlier this year. The first batch of deliveries will begin in mid-2013 and assembly of complete coaches will begin next year...

Labels: busmakers news India

* Switzerland - Electric bus takes 15 seconds to receive an energy boost

* Swiss - TOSA tech charges up electric buses in 15 seconds

(Picture: A new flash-charging system for electric buses delivers 15-second-long battery boosts at selected stops)
Geneve,Switzerland -Gizmag, by Ben Coxworth -June 4, 2013: -- In Geneva, however, they’re trying something else: a system in which an electric bus takes 15 seconds to receive an energy boost at selected stops... Billed as “the world's first high-capacity flash charging electric bus system,” the technology was created by the Zurich-based ABB Group. The system is known as TOSA, or Trolleybus Optimisation Système Alimentation [Optimizing Power System]. Here’s how it works ... The bus begins its route with a fully-charged battery. At every third or fourth stop, a charging mechanism on the roof of the bus engages an overhead receptacle that’s installed at the stop. The charging mechanism is mounted on a movable arm, and is able to line itself up with the receptacle using a laser guidance system. Once the two devices are coupled, the receptacle delivers a 15-second-long 400-kilowatt boost to the bus’ batteries. This takes place as passengers are getting on and off of the bus...

Labels: electric buses