An extension to the BoJo folly...

[Dave Plowman (News)]

[Broadback]

Um, how can these be completely pollution free? Where does the electricity come from? Is it guaranteed all wind or sun sourced?

[Syd Rumpo]

Did the article say, "pollution free" or that just your knee jerking?

Cheers

[Broadback]

Well zero emissions, so that is true of the buses, but they "use" emissions while charging, so it is misleading I believe.

[Syd Rumpo]

Clearly it hasn't mislead you - are you worried it might mislead less intelligent people?

Cheers

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Love to have some costs. Willing to bet the battery pack costs more than a complete conventional bus. And will have a shorter life than that bus too.

I've often wondered why they don't use LPG or LNG for buses. Possible to get zero harmful emissions - except for CO2. Much more quiet than diesel too. And can be built using existing technology - rather than going to China for it.

Other thing I've noticed is the Boris bus gets a lot hotter inside than others - presumably down to all that extra glass?

[Syd Rumpo]

They use CNG on some routes in Reading, very much better than diesel. At one time they had some bio-diesel buses which were again better than normal diesel but the chip-shop smell would make you hungry.

The BYD bus battery type is given as 'Iron Phosphate' with 'up to'

10,000 cycles. I think it must be LiFePO4 as I can't find any other reference.

Cheers

[Tim Watts]

Indeed. And the CO2 is inevitable unless the electrickery is coming from nuclear sources. What matters in London is NO2 and particulates - both which would be solved by burning LPG. CO2 in this context is utterly irrelevant,

Oh for a government that did the right thing rather than follow the gimmicks.

Brisbane had a load of LPG taxies and buses IIRC last time I was there (2008 ish).

Can diesel engines be converted as easily as petrol engines?

And thus needing aircon, when just the ability to open loads of windows would make that unnecessary.

[Syd Rumpo]

I suppose electricity is cheaper and potentially more reliable. Regenerative braking would be a plus if it's possible to do.

I don't think it's automatically a bad idea.

Cheers

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Or hydro. Or wind. Or tide. Or solar. ;-)

Yes. Be interesting to know the entire chain efficiency of a battery bus using electricity generated by gas, against one burning LHG directly. No reason why that can't be a hybrid, either.

Or one who knew how to use a simple calculator. ;-)

Merton Council in London has used LPG for municipal vehicles for years. Or did - dunno about now.

Doubt it. LPG basically uses a petrol engine. Which of course doesn't make the same racket as a diesel.

And does the battery bus have effective air-con? I doubt it. Some London buses do - but invariably not working.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

You can have a hybrid vehicle using an LPG engine. Much smaller and cheaper batteries which can still use regenerative charging.

[Tim Watts]

Possibly - if the batteries have enough capacity to run all day and be charged overnight.

I cannot see regen braking working in London though - buses crawl then tend to brake sharply for traffic. It would be another story on the motorway.

I don't think it is a bad idea, I just think there are way better ideas that are already done in other places (LPG) that would address the immediate problems with less cost for more return.

London has an NO2 problem, especially around Oxford St and nailing particulates would do everyone good (including the buildings).

[Tim Watts]

In this country? I assumed we were considering teh available power sources *now*.

There may be merit in an LPG hybrid - the batteries would give a kick to the acceleration.

[Syd Rumpo]

Yes, you can have all sorts of things because one size doesn't fit all. Horses for courses. Or coaches.

Cheers

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Just about the most common mini-cab in London is the Prius. Which is a petrol engined hybrid. It's well known that hybrids give exceptional economy in heavy stop start traffic. I'd guess cheaper to run than an equivalent diesel too. Although the congestion charge may influence the choice.

[Tim Streater]

Let me know when any of these provide anything worth a damn. I won't hold my breath.

[dennis]

Well it would pay for the car in congestion charge savings.

[ARW]

What's needed is regenerative acceleration.

[Brian Gaff]

Have you ever looked at the Windows registry? What is the significance of Apartment, and other type housing terms as parameters for some bits of software? My guess is something to do with how the program arranges its data storage. Brian

[Vir Campestris]

Apart from the usual problems, I can just see Solar used for charging for buses. You'll have to leave them plugged in for the daylight hours though, but that won't be much of a problem will it?

Andy