Originally published on EV Obsession.
BYD’s electric buses can run for an impressive 30 or so hours straight in between charges, based on the results of a pilot test performed in New York City last year during the months of August–October. Charging to full capacity took, roughly, 3–4 hours, and was completed at night.
According to SAE International (the Society of Automotive Engineers), one of BYD’s buses was used on a number of different routes in Manhattan during that span of time, and ran for a total of 1,481 miles. The pilot test proved that the electric bus could indeed approach the 155-mile-range advertised by BYD.
Here’s some more info from SAE:
After two months, the electric bus’s average battery duration was 0.3 h per % SOC, or 30 h of operation per full charge. An advantage of electric buses, compared to diesel bus technology, is that they do not idle when in heavy or stopped traffic, thus conserving “fuel” and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Another advantage is that because BYD buses do not have an internal-combustion engine or transmission, along with other conventional components, maintenance costs (and labor) can be reduced “significantly,” according to the company. Regenerative braking also reduces normal brake-pad wear and maintenance.
BYD and MTA claim that the expected operating-cost-per-mile of an electric bus is about $0.20 to $0.30, compared to $1.30 per mile for an equivalent diesel- or natural-gas-powered bus in New York.
In related news, Daimler-BYD’s first Denza electric car is nearing its release date — the model is expected to be released in China sometime towards the middle of the year. Recent reports have revealed that the EV will be DV quick-charge compatible.
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Image Credit: BYD
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