Everything is green in Hannover with Allison hybrid buses
2012-10-09 Source：www.chinabuses.org
Summarize：Back in 2008, the first Allison H 50 EP-equipped 18-meter articulated Solaris Urbino hybrid bus went into service at “üstra Hannoversche Verkehrsbetriebe AG” (short: üstra). After the results of intensive testing, scientifically attended by the Fraunhofer institute, an additional 10 Allison hybrid buses were added to the bus fleet in September 2011. Today the 11 hybrid buses have already accumulated over 750,000 kilometers (466,028 miles) of service and transported approximately 5 million passengers.
www.chinabuses.org: “Everything is Green” says the bright inscription on each of the 11 hybrid buses now operating in Hannover, Germany. The cityscape can no longer be imagined without these buses driving through the city center, from Haltenhoffstraße over central station to Altenbekener Damm on Line 121. Since the first hybrid bus began testing at üstra in 2009, Line 121 proved to be ideal for the hybrids. With short distances between stops, low average speed and a high concentration of passengers; conditions are right to take advantage of the significant benefits delivered by hybrid buses. Since braking occurs more intensively and precisely than on suburban lines or in rural areas, a hybrid bus most efficiently recovers braking energy on this route. In narrow streets the quieter, environmentally-friendly buses are a pleasant relief for the local residents.
“For hybrid buses you need bus lines that require severe stop-and-go operation, because the advantages are the greatest,” said Hubert Nawa, responsible for bus workshops and vehicle engineering for city buses at üstra. “On sections of Line 121, hybrid buses achieve a fuel saving of nearly 30 percent.”
Statistically, each hybrid bus will likely save about 88,100 liters (23,273 gallons) of diesel over an expected life of 12 years. This calculation is based on an average decrease in fuel consumption of 18.8 percent, verified from actual measurements taken to date, and extrapolated over the whole period of service. Severe temperatures must be considered as well. Strong winters affect the numbers, especially as additional energy is needed to run accessories, such as the heating system.
Less noise, more climate protection
The reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are not the only important benefits of hybrid buses. They also reduce noise pollution, which is crucial for üstra. “The residents who
live close to Line 121 are really happy; they hardly hear the hybrid bus passing by,” said Nawa.
Jens Ernsting, Director of Environmental Management at üstra, added: “In addition, hybrid buses help us gain more ridership and link passengers to us. Every person taking public transport actively contributes to climate protection.”
With this in mind, the purchase of the 10 new hybrid buses in 2011 was government-funded by the Federal Ministry for Environment and Nature Conservation with a grant of 1.12 million euro (1.41 million dollars).
Allison hybrid technology accelerates
Hubert Nawa is a fan of the Allison H 50 EP hybrid system, especially because of the powerful acceleration. “The buses equipped with the Allison system really perform. To us, this means faster cycle times. The superior and shift-free acceleration makes the ride comfortable for drivers and passengers.”
The Solaris hybrid buses are based on the three-axle articulated Urbino 18. Each includes the patented Allison H 50 EP two-mode parallel hybrid system. The Allison hybrid system combines torque delivered by two electric 75 kW generators with torque generated by a 181 kW (246 hp) Cummins diesel engine, with 6692cm3 capacity. The electric motors contribute substantially to bus launch, relying less on the diesel engine to produce power and torque. High-capacity batteries save the energy released during braking and then reuse it as power to accelerate the bus.
Hard to give up
Hybrid bus drivers agree - you get used to the new drivability quickly. In the beginning, almost never having to use the brakes was unusual. In fact, when drivers take their feet off the throttle, the nickel metal-hydride high capacity batteries on the roof of the bus are recharged, while the electrical machine slows down the bus. Even the ultra-smooth and seamless bus start was unfamiliar at the beginning. Now having experienced the differences, drivers and passengers really enjoy riding these buses and appreciate the performance and comfort they provide.
At üstra, all drivers receive training in fuel-efficient driving, which is repeated on a regular basis. This training is necessary to take full advantage of hybrid bus technology and to achieve the best overall performance and savings.
Experience in the hybrid bus market
“We are pleased that more and more cities around the world rely on buses equipped with our proven hybrid system, because these customers are investing in sustainability and environmental protection. Allison’s experience coupled with the performance, durability and reliability that our system has demonstrated in buses in revenue service remains a very important factor in the decision process for fleet operators,” says Manlio Alvaro, Europe, Middle East and Africa Marketing Manager for Allison Transmission.
Allison Transmission began serial production of the H 40/50 EP system in 2003. Currently, over 5,000 city buses equipped with Allison’s two-mode parallel hybrid systems are operating in over 230 cities worldwide. It is estimated that these vehicles have saved approximately 100 million liters (26.4 million gallons) of diesel fuel and prevented over 259,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
About üstra
With approximately 155 million passengers üstra is one of the biggest public transport companies in Germany. Üstra AG operates 133 buses, 63 of these are articulated buses and 67 solo buses. In addition the subsidiary “üstra Reisen” has 43 buses. Each year the buses of üstra drive approximately 8 million kilometers (4.9 million miles).
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