Eco Factor: Low-emission hybrid buses launched by Volvo for transport for London.
Arriva London received the first batch of their Volvo hybrid double-decker buses. These ecofriendly buses will help make London greener. These new buses run on the company’s I-SAM (Integrated Starter, Alternator, Motor) technology, which is used across the Volvo heavy fleet.
Any specifications on the fuel economy are still not available, but a Volvo single-decker has showcased an efficiency of 30% in Gothenburg. So London is expecting even better results, as the stops are much closer. The hybrid bus is equipped with an electric motor and a diesel engine. The option is to use the engines independently or a combination of the two. In an all-electric mode the bus can speed up to 12mph and over that the diesel engine starts working. Transport for London claims that these hybrid buses have 40% less carbon emissions than conventional buses. They have also hinted that by 2012 every new bus in the fleet will be a hybrid. This is good news for the commuters who wish to make London a pollution-free city.
Images Courtesy: ABG
Via: Gizmag
Comments
It’s great to hear that London is doing this. I think that all buses used for public transportation should run on alternative fuels. I like to follow a group of college students in the US who are taking their Big Green Bus (http://changents.com/biggreenbus) around the country to educate others about their waste veggie oil powered vehicle.