‘Most Environmentally Friendly Bus’ Putters Out on Highway
- Posted on December 21, 2011 at 2:06am by
Liz Klimas
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New hybrid double-decker bus will begin its prototype test phase in 2012. (Photo: Transport for London)
According to Wired, what is being hailed as “the latest, greatest masterpiece of British engineering” — the new hybrid double-decker bus — was unveiled in London late last week to begin carrying passengers in February 2012.
But the Routemaster-inspired prototype, just three days after being introduced, ran out of juice on the highway. The London Evening Standard has more:
A tow truck was on hand when the new bus was pulled over on the highway, but it was no needed. (Photo via The London Evening Standard)
A Transport for London spokesman said a battery warning light came on and the driver pulled onto the hard shoulder to recharge. But on doing that another warning light illuminated and, as a precautionary measure, TfL decided to investigate further. A tow truck arrived but was not needed.
TfL said the vehicle’s hybrid battery was configured for London roads and not for long stretches on motorways. He said the battery recharged when the bus stopped and started in city traffic.
[...]
Mike Weston, London Buses Operations Director, said:
“The new bus for London’s engine is configured for driving in the Capital and its engine uses the latest hybrid technology, which means it emits half the CO2 and NOx and delivers twice the fuel economy of a standard double deck bus.
“The bus is designed for stop-start driving, which enables the battery to be recharged automatically.
“However when the bus undertakes long, non-stopping motorway journeys, such as its journey to Bedfordshire this morning, it can lose charge and the driver is briefed to pull to the side of the road to allow the battery to recharge.
“After the battery had re-charged the driver was unable to re-start the engine. It was later established that the bus had run out of diesel.
Wired goes on to state that the bus is designed be twice as fuel efficient as regular diesel buses and emits 640 grams of CO2 per kilometer. The bus, which is the first in more than 50 years designed specifically for the capital’s streets, is made of lightweight materials and has three entrances to make loading and unloading efficient.
At the unveiling in Trafalgar Square, Wired reported London Mayor Boris Johnson as saying “It is the latest, greatest masterpiece of British engineering and design, and I am certain it will become a much-loved and iconic vehicle akin to the legendary Routemaster from which it draws so much inspiration.”
According to Wired, Wrightbus in Northern Ireland began designing the new bus in January 2010 and eight prototypes will be on the streets starting Feb. 20, 2012, along Route 38. If the prototype phase goes well, more routes could see these hybrid buses in the future.
Check out this time-lapsed video of the bus being built:
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Comments (63)
HeftyJo
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 11:43amSo this bus is supposed to save the environment and save fuel by using its hybrid battery. But when the battery runs dead the bus has to sit there idling to recharge the battery and run itself out of fuel. So the bus is just sitting there not moving all the while wasting fuel to recharge a battery. Why can’t you just drive using the direct power of the IC engine when the battery runs dead? Makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Probably the stupidest hybrid I’ve seen yet.
Report Post »HeldHostageInCA
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:59pmThat‘s the biggest LOL I’ve ever seen…..
Report Post »ejbonk
Posted on December 22, 2011 at 3:08amAmen. Government Design= STUPID and Wasteful. The Government is not our friend.
Report Post »woodcellar
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 11:31amAs to shoe leather being renewable. Most shoe sole are made from ditr nasty oil too.
Report Post »smithclar3nc3
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 2:03pmI‘m the eviromentall friendly bus I can’t go very fast or very far and if you ride me people will think you’re gay..
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 11:26amAh, yes… the Good Ole Days of Horses: Ride awhile… walk them… graze them… and we are ready to go again!
Report Post »LukeAppling
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 11:19amIf the Volt cost American taxpayers $250,000 per vehicle what could this behemoth cost?
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 11:20amIt is certainly attractive. Too bad it doesn’t work. That‘s the thing about ’theory’, it looks good on paper.
Report Post »KenInIL
Posted on December 22, 2011 at 1:45amGiven that it is hand built 1 at a time – lots. Notice the body is not painted before assembly – part of the hand craftsmanship. Probably a union rule.
Report Post »Bill in Texas
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 11:05amWhat happens if you hit the primer on the front of it with a hammer?
Report Post »hempstead1944
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 10:37amIt is what it has always been……a piece of junk !
Report Post »DAMTEXAN
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 10:09amIt’s certainly an impressive looking machine. They only forgot to mention one little pesky detail. Sometimes the passengers get to push it.
Report Post »ozchambers
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 10:15amHey, a parked bus has zero emissions.
Report Post »Bill in Texas
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 11:03amFlintstones, meet the Flintstones! It’s a foot powered bus! lol
Report Post »lel2007
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:14amI expect the bus operated as designed. The “putter-out” mode is where the passengers get their chance to contribute to the preservation of Mother Earth. Shoe leather is renewable, while filthy dirty oil is scarce.
Report Post »dogue
Posted on December 22, 2011 at 8:51amWhere are you going to get the shoe leather?We can’t have those nasty cows emitting green house gases lol!
Report Post »ColoradoMaverick
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:00amThe wave of the future huh? I seem to recall electric powered street cars were once very wide spread, but now you rarely see them. This so called new green energy stuff is hog wash. Mankind used to use wind power to sail the seas, but they gave that up in exchange for much more reliable fossil fuels. Electric vehicles (EV’s) sound great and all, but that power comes from somewhere and it’s not fairy dust.
Report Post »TROONORTH
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:09amThe dirty little secret of “all electric” cars is that they have no heaters! So, unless you live in death valley where you do not need to heat the interior or defrost the windows, electric cars are useless. Hybrid cars that have both electric and fueled drives, run their engines all winter long to keep the occupants from freezing to death. Sort of defeats the whole purpose of the electric part of the vehicle doesn’t it?
Report Post »RightThinking1
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:27am@Troonorth.
Report Post »Well, the only electric I am familiar with is the Nissan Leaf, and it certainly has an electric heater. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the heater uses up a lot of power, reducing the winter range to something like 40 miles (perhaps less). The same is true of A/C, it uses a lot of battery power.
You should not mistake me for an electric car admirer, I am not. The truth is, unless these things are charged by solar or hydro, then they are coal powered, and dirtier than contemporary IC/hybrid engined autos.
starman70
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:57amOne would be better off driving the VW diesel which gets an estimated 41 MPG. It has a real heater for winter. Yes, the A/C will drag down the mileage in summer but it is far better than these magical Obamamobiles. The Chevy Volt will become the Solyndra of Government Motors.
Report Post »SmallGovBigGuns
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 8:59amsome hippies are going to see that video and see it wasnt built by mother earth and reject it. they want to ride unicorns not machines.
Report Post »grudgywoof
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 7:56amThis technology is not ready for prime time. Chattanooga Tennessee has a fleet of electric buses that seem to work well for them. The power still needs to be generated with fossel fuels in most places but in Chattanooga they have a system that uses a unique system (Racoon Mountain TVA facility) that produces all the electricity for the city without polution. http://www.tva.gov/sites/raccoonmt.htm
Report Post »hidden_lion
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 8:19am“It was later established that the bus had run out of diesel.”
Report Post »I guess they decided not to include a gas gauge?
Gonzo
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 7:44amSprinkle some fairy dust on it…just like Obama has sprinkled fairy dust on the “green economy” and changed the world.
Report Post »bets
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:25amSo the bus was configured for city driving ok. But what about those people that live down the highway and come to down to shop and work and go to school can that bus do both? Or will they have to have another hybrid bus to transfer to, that is configured for the rest of the trip?
Report Post »Sol Invictus
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:09amBrilliant design, great engineering and the prospect of cheaper fares for users. What does the Blaze pick up on? The driver forgot to fill up with diesel. Great, bring on the moronic comments.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 7:12amlike…
YEP, more great Brit engineering! They forgot to install a fuel guage!
LOL
Oh, BTW, thank you for taking every opportunity to attack us here on TheBlaze, even before you read any comments. Yep, it sure shows your willingness to discuss issues with reason and with logic and with honesty and truth… Oh, I forgot, you, as a socialist democrat liberal, cannot use logic or honest reason… your arguments fail in the face of truth. So, you must resort to rhetoric and personal attacks – EVEN BEFORE we speak.
I feel pity for you and pray you will come to know Truth.
Report Post »Sol Invictus
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 7:28amand I always admired Ferraris…..
Report Post »nocalifornia
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 8:33amI hate to burst your bubble but between the batteries, the electric motors, the maintenance, and the yearly battery replacement, these vehicles will cost up to 6 times that of a conventional bus and without government subsidies the fairs would be up to 6 times what they are today. Not to worry though you British tax payers, your socialist government will take care of you till the day you die and all they ask in return is your income and your freedoms. Can’t wait for the reinstitution of the monarchy.
Report Post »The Bushmaster
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:04amEngland also has hydrogen powered city busses. I wonder. How long before the terrorists there realize they have huge tanks full of very explosive hydrogen on board? Sometimes diesel is the better option.
Report Post »TomFerrari
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 7:18amI wonder if THEIR government “subsidizes” their “green” buses, too?
I know ours do! When I lived in Palm Springs, CA ( A DESERT ) there were “green” buses that were highly subsidized – as they were not used by many people (who wants to stand in 120degree heat and wait for a bus?) If you don’t have the ridership for a self-sufficient bus system, you need to figure out how to subsidize it LOCALLY, not federally. My grandmother in Monkey’s Eyebrow, KY, should NOT be subsidizing YOUR “green” buses. NO MATTER HOW “green” THEY MAY BE !
In honor of RESTORING LOVE – I have moved to Southlake, TX (to get away from California kooks.)
Report Post »If anyone here needs a ride to a doctor or to the grocery or such, just let me know. We don’t need government buses to get us there.
gonetotheright
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 9:00amAnother socialist green experiment gone Bad!
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:02amAt least it didnt catch on fire, like the OBAMAMOBILE !!!
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 5:59amAll aboard to Utopiaville. Next stop , Brokeville……
Report Post »VermontPatriot
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 5:45amWho forgot to put a fuel gauge on the dang junker?
Report Post »fierro77
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 5:32amcoming to America soon. The more the failure it is the more obama will spend tax payers money for it.
Report Post »Bill Rowland
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 6:00amIf it actually does what they claim Obumbler will not allow it to cross the Atlantic. This administration only spends the taxpayer money on failures.
If they want US Government backing they need to be ready to declare bankruptcy and destroy all prototypes. That will qualify them under the Obumbler green energy plan.
OMG
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 5:09amListen to the guy from RyanAir talk to the bureaucrats in the EU and then look at this designed by committee failure. the only thing I can say is to Rockinphil is that with the level of intelligence of these people ….half of them would run the front the other half to the back and push!
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 5:23amjust go to; Michael O’Leary at Brussels convention lol
Report Post »1casawizard
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 3:23amSounds like they put it on the road before they put it through the tests. Lawdhavemercy. They couda hurt or worse somebody. Somebody’s gonna get fired over this.
Report Post »OBAMA IS A FOUL EVIL TRAITOR
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 3:18amOne of Whoopie Goldberg’s Farts should power it all the way.
Report Post »woodyl1011fl
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 7:41amWhoppi finally publicly endorsed Marxist Communism!! Not that anyone should be surprised the whole democrat party is made up of Bolshevik revolutionaries and other useful idiots!!!
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 2:55amALL ABOARD the Liberal Bus nonstop to Utopia! Pulled by a team of 6 glittery unicorns on a highway paved with candy-cane wishes and gingerbread kisses!
(Me? I’ll be off-roading in my truck.)
Report Post »barnsy
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 5:40amAll the 1960s liberal stoners turned politicians taking the “Magic Bus” on a “Mystery Tour” to nowhere. Next the government will be subsidising “green” transporter systems…“Beam me up Algore”.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 5:41amYou gotta remember that you need to stop playing with your off road truck keep working so people can ride those greenie go buses to Utopia. If you were to stay out there playing and GO GFAULT all of this social engineering will end. So back to work!
Ron Paul 2012 to end the BS
Report Post »foobear
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 2:44amThat’s… a pretty large design oversight.
Report Post »kaydeebeau
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 5:53amNot if you are trying to support the claim that it cuts emissions in 1/2. Those statistical claims are true because the bus only runs 1/2 the time by design -
Report Post »Rockinphil
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 2:17amGood thing it’s a double-decker… Plenty of people to get out and push.
Report Post »johnnycatt
Posted on December 21, 2011 at 8:07amwhy not just a 100% green bus that the passengers pedal (or push)? I mean if we want to be completely “green,” then let the people who want to do it pedal the bus! oh, and they can pedal their home generators, too!
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