ASSESSMENT OF BATTERY BUSES

This report presents a comprehensive assessment/survey of the performance of electric battery buses operating in passenger-carrying services in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Australia. The survey assessed 16 different systems from 15 suppliers, operating under 18 public transit authorities. These operations varied from single demonstration vehicles to a fleet of 20 buses which provide all the transit service on three routes. The status of electric battery bus development is reflected in the fact that 57 buses have accumulated more than 3.4 million kilometers (2.1 million miles) in passenger-carrying service. The scope of this report includes visiting the operating organization, description of buses and propulsion systems, operational profiles, operating experience, and analysis of data and conclusions about the problems and constraints in the procurement and operation of electric buses. This study also addresses hybrid propulsion systems such as trolley-battery and diesel-battery hybrids. Hybrid bus systems assessed included the Dornier Duo-Bus, the Mercedes-Benz OE305, and the Tokyo Transportation Bureau models built by Kawaski. This assessment was accomplished through on-site data collection and data analyses. Data analysis included translating the information and reducing the data on performance and technical features to common terms for comparison. The Appendices contain a listing of the contributors to the Electric Battery Bus Assessment as well as a Bibliography. /UMTA/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by DOT, Urban Mass Transportation Administration.
• Corporate Authors:

  Trans Systems Corporation

  118 Park Street, SE
  Vienna, VA  United States  22180
• Publication Date: 1977-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 156 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bids; Cost indexes; Electric buses; Hybrid vehicles; Prices; Procurement; Storage batteries; Surveys; Vehicle design; Vehicle performance
• Old TRIS Terms: Bid price indexes
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Design; Energy; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00165736
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-VA-06-0044-77-1Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: DOT-UT-70056
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Mar 7 1981 12:00AM