At the Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Technology Fair in South Korea last week, Hyundai took the wraps off its latest project — a 70-passenger double decker electric bus. 18 months in development, the bus features a 384 kWh water cooled polymer battery. It can travel up to 186 miles on a single charge and can be recharged in just 72 minutes.
“The double-decker electric bus is an environmentally friendly vehicle optimized for global eco-friendly trends. This will not only ultimately improve the air quality, but also contribute greatly to easing commuting hour traffic congestion by accommodating more passengers,” says ByoungWoo Hwang, head of Hyundai’s commercial vehicle advanced engineering team.
There are 11 seats on the first floor and 59 seats on the second floor. It features two fixed-in-space wheelchairs, an automatic sliding ramp, and a low floor design, accessibility for disabled and mobility impaired passengers.
The Hyundai electric double decker comes with a full complement of digital driver aids.
- Vehicle Dynamic Control helps identify the driver’s intended driving direction and maintain the vehicle in control.
- Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist uses the car’s front-facing camera to help detect an imminent collision and avoid impact or minimize damage by braking autonomously.
- Lane Keeping Assist helps prevent accidental lane departure by sensing road markings.
The all new electric bus is the first of its kind for Hyundai, which is producing a growing number of large electric commercial vehicles — particularly for public transportation fleets — to help reduce exhaust emissions and atmospheric pollution.
According to Electric Hybrid Vehicle Technology, the large electric double-decker bus is 42.6 feet long and 13 feet high. It features a 240 kW electric motor mounted the first drive axle, which uses a full independent suspension for a more comfortable ride. Another electric motor is fitted to the second drive axle that recharges the battery while the bus is coasting or slowing. The bus also has rear wheel steering to help it negotiate tight corners.
Hyundai has not released any details about prices or who its first customers for the electric double decker will be.
