Eco Factor: Zero-emission electric bus debuts in New York.
The latest addition to New York’s formidable bus fleet is an ultra-quiet zero-emission turbine hybrid knows as the DesignLine. The bus is being touted to be as quiet as a tomb, and is fueled by a spinning turbine that recharges an onboard Li-ion battery pack.
The first phase has involved the launch of three of these hybrid buses that are operating in Brooklyn and Manhattan and cost $559,000 each. If the pilot project is approved, 87 more will arrive by the end of 2010 as a part of a $60 million contract with DesignLine.
The zero-emission buses feature 37 seats and a brightly lit interior that makes use of LED panels. The buses are also equipped with a regenerative braking system that tops up the batteries every time the driver hits the brakes.
Via: New York Times