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To address the trolley bus comments - yes, they are better than battery buses, but my city already has a tram network and the bus network covers too much territory to justify putting trolley cables.
We had a scam in our city where our electric buses were being charged by Diesel Generators.
Which in general is a more efficient way to use the diesel than if it was in an engine. However I’m not sure in this case, as I don’t know how efficient a generator would be compared to how ridiculously efficient a modern engine is. But electric engines outclass anything out there when it comes using energy.
The West Australian Electric Car Club had to install a diesel genset part of the way across the country
That diesel was used more efficiently than in a VW golf in km/litre terms because generators are much more efficient than vehicle engines
if you rip out an engene from a car, then you can operate it at its most efficient rpm all the time, instead of when you happen to cross the right rpm on the right gear. So an engine powering a generator can almost always be more efficient than in a car.
This is not taking the losses in the electrical system when using the generated power in a moter to make the car move. But in a lot of cases, you still come out ahead
The electrical losses are way less than the resistances of a mechanical drivetrain. It’s around 10-25% lower apparently.
Given the fact that India is the most polluted country in every single metric and one of the most corrupt, doesn’t make me think the generators they used were at all efficient lol.
I am for electrification but I just can’t get behind electric buses.
My city made some study last year and the best way forward in terms of public transport is expansion of trolley bus network. With batteries and constant use it just doesn’t make much economic sense. If you can build the wiring it is much better in long run. You don’t have to have 100% coverage, 70+% is enough for partial battery powered trolley bus, then it starts to be economically feasible in the operating cost sense.
Also they will need to build some kind of metro system - probably as an extension of commuter trains.
I was excited when we started getting electric buses here, then I learnt we used to have trolley buses until the mid 70s. At least we got a tram line in 2021 so that’s great
My city was designed in the early 20th century and specifically included space for trams on the roads, but cars took over so trees were planted to fill the space. Now we’re building a tramway and many of those trees need to be removed our local green party is in a difficult spot — they do want the tram, they don’t want trees removed
Boston had newish hybrid deisel trolleys until 2023, when they replaced with battery electric buses.
They claimed the catenary was too expensive to maintain, especially with roadwork. Meanwhile the battery electric buses are completely self-contained, independent, and there are multiple manufacturers.
I’m sure it didn’t help that they were over complicated. This was a new transit line where everyone wanted a subway, but it was too complicated. They needed more capacity than a bus, able to maneuver tight corners, electric to go through tunnels, and unconstrained in traffic. They created Frankenstein monster and called it “bus rapid transit”. Partly dedicated roadway, partly in traffic. Partly above ground, partly below ground. Partly deisel, partly trolley. Bigger than buses but articulated to fit through narrow streets
My city is also playing with electric buses buying different brand and models. One Chinese brand they have drives me crazy because it rings a bell as it moves. It’s louder and more annoying than the gas buses.
I wish my city was running the electric buses at night. Without the noise of other traffic to help mask it, the gas ones sound like explosions as they drive by at 3a. Unfortunately the bus company said it’s cheaper to charge them at night when electricity costs the least.
Poznań, Poland has 25 hydrogen buses, and plans to have 9 more by May 2026
What maker?
Edinburgh rolled them out somewhere in 2017 i think? Most of the buses are still diesel powered
which city?
Zagreb, Croatia.
jelly… nothing like biking on the wall lane next to the the highway and getting smogged by a gas bus’ top exhaust right in your face, right after overexerting to get up there in the first place
Bravo but can we not put big-ass stickers on the windows please
They always put a promo sticker when introducing new buses into the fleet.
