Electric buses to ply Bangkok streets

[Lite Beer]

Electric buses to ply Bangkok streets

BANGKOK: -- The Ministry of Transport is to propose electric buses to ply Bangkok streets alongside the NGV-powered buses to see which is more appropriate and save operation cost.
Initially it will seek approval for 500 electric buses first on a trial run.

The ministry has conducted feasibility study on the use of electrically powered buses and initial findings has shown that comparatively, electric buses incur lower running costs when compared to other forms of propulsion systems.

The ministry conducted the study on a proposed purchase of a further 2,694 public buses following its approval of 489 new NGV (Natural Gas for Vehicles) buses this year.

Pongchai Kasemthaveesak, the deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Transport, disclosed the trial run of electric buses following a 3rd meeting with a committee set up to study the feasibility of the planned purchase of new buses for the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority (BMTA).

The results of comparative costs studies for the alternate forms of propulsion systems showed that the overall costs for electric powered buses are substantially lower compared to other systems.

Import costs for such vehicles are 15 million Baht per unit but when spread out over a 20 year period, and taking into consideration other costs such as maintenance and fuel, the price in total then comes to 30 million Baht per vehicle.

Comparatively, overheads for diesel powered buses stand at 43 million Baht per vehicle while NGV powered buses are 34 million Baht.

NGV bus overheads however, must take into consideration fluctuations in global NGV prices.

As for electrical powered buses, there is a further outlay for charging stations which is estimated to cost around 300,000 Baht per unit and will take up 5 hours charging time for each vehicle.

The buses will then be able to run for a range of 250 kilometres.

Another positive consideration is the fact that over the long-run, running costs for electric buses will be even lower as developments in new technologies and increased global usage in countries such as the US, the UK and China will push costs down significantly.

It is expected that by next week, all the relevant information will be ready to be presented to ACM Prajin Juntong, the Minister for Transport for consideration.

Also plan to bring in around 500 electric buses to carry out trial runs to compare with NGV powered buses on a practical basis will be put forward for approval.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/electric-buses-to-ply-bangkok-streets

-- Thai PBS 2015-04-18

[Slaps]

.

Can't Wait Personally

.

[doctorproc156]

don't think the range will last that long with the traffic and heat, the AC needs to be on full blast

[dunks]

Should use solar powered electric buses. Probably no brown envelope money in it for anyone though.

[ToddinChonburi]

I think they mean gas and electric Hybrid buses, No such thing as an electric bus.

[impulse]

I think they mean gas and electric Hybrid buses, No such thing as an electric bus.

5 seconds on Google would have prevented an erroneous response...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bus

Edited April 18, 2015 by impulse

[ExpatOilWorker]

I think they mean gas and electric Hybrid buses, No such thing as an electric bus.

Maybe not in your world, but: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_electric_bus#Electric_bus

Chattanooga, Tennessee operates nine zero-fare electric buses, which have been in operation since 1992 and have carried 11.3 million passengers and covered a distance of 3,100,000 kilometres (1,900,000 mi), They were made locally by Advanced Vehicle Systems. Two of these buses were used for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.[8][9]

Beginning in the summer of 2000, Hong Kong Airport began operating a 16-passenger Mitsubishi Rosa electric shuttle bus, and in the fall of 2000, New York City began testing a 66-passenger battery-powered school bus, an all electric version of the Blue Bird TC/2000.[10] A similar bus was operated in Napa Valley, California for 14 months ending in April, 2004.[11]

The 2008 Beijing Olympics used a fleet of 50 electric buses, which have a range of 130 km (81 mi) with the air conditioning on. They use Lithium-ion batteries, and consume about 1 kW·h/mi (0.62 kW·h/km; 2.2 MJ/km). The buses were designed by the Beijing Institute of Technology and built by the Jinghua Coach Co. Ltd.[12] The batteries are replaced with fully charged ones at the recharging station to allow 24-hour operation of the buses.[13]

In France, the bus electric phenomenon is in development, but we already can find some of them in operation in numerous cities of France.[14] PVI, a medium company located in the Paris region, is one of the leader of the market with its brand Gepebus (offering Oreos 2X and Oreos 4X).[15]

In the United States, the first battery-electric, fast-charge bus has been in operation in Pomona, California since September 2010 at Foothill Transit. The Proterra EcoRide BE35 uses lithium-titanate batteries and is able to fast-charge in less than 10 minutes.[16]

In 2014, the first production model all-electric school bus was delivered to the Kings Canyon Unified School District in Californias San Joaquin Valley. The Class-A school bus was built by Trans Tech Bus, using an electric powertrain control system developed by Motiv Power Systems, of Foster City, CA. The bus was one of four the district ordered. The first round of SST-e buses (as they are called) is partly funded by the AB 118 Air Quality Improvement Program administered by the California Air Resources Board. This battery electric school bus has 4 sodium nickel batteries. The Trans Tech/Motiv vehicle has passed all KCUSD and California Highway Patrol inspections and certifications. Although some diesel hybrids are in use, this is the first modern electric school bus approved for student transportation by any state.

The first all-electric school bus in the state of California pausing outside the California capitol building in Sacramento.The same technology is used to power the Mountain View Community Shuttles. This technology was supported by the California Energy Commission, and the shuttle program is being supported by Google. [17]

Thunder Sky[edit]Thunder Sky (based in Hong Kong) builds lithium-ion batteries used in submarines and has three models of electric buses, the 10/21 passenger EV-6700 with a range of 280 km (170 mi) under 20 mins quick-charge, the EV-2009 city buses, and the 43 passenger EV-2008 highway bus, which has a range of 300 km (190 mi) under quick-charge (20 mins to 80%), and 350 km (220 mi) under full charge (25 mins). The buses will also be built in the United States and Finland.[18]

Free Tindo[edit]Tindo is an all-electric bus from Adelaide, Australia. The Tindo (aboriginal word for sun) is made by Designline International[19] in New Zealand and gets its electricity from a solar PV system on Adelaide's central bus station. Rides are zero-fare as part of Adelaide's public transport system.[20]

First electric commercial bus[edit]Seoul Metropolitan Government runs the world's first commercial all-electric bus service. The bus was developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hankuk Fiber which make a lightweight body from carbon composite material. Provided with Li-on battery and regenerative braking, the bus may run to 52 miles (84 km) in a single 30 minutes charge. The maximum speed is 62 miles per hour (100 km/h).[21]

[uptoyoumyfriend]

solar panels on the rooftop of the buses would probably be enough to run the aircon....

[PETERTHEEATER]

solar panels on the rooftop of the buses would probably be enough to run the aircon....

Sorry, no, AC compressors draw a lot of power (amps) and with the overhead road/rail structures and skyscrapers blocking light the panels would be less efficient. Then there is the problem of running the ACs at night.......

[talisman01]

"The Ministry of Transport is to propose electric buses to ply Bangkok streets alongside the NGV-powered buses to see which is more appropriate and save operation cost. Initially it will seek approval for 500 electric buses first on a trial run."

It seems odd to me that the MoT should seek to have 500 such buses for a trial run. Why so many ? The OP mentions electric buses in the UK and in London, for example, the Mayor approved 4 electric buses for trials last year.

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2014/july/first-british-built-electric-buses-enter-service

Supposing the trial does not go well or that overheads for them are greater than the MoT imagine then the 500 buses are likely to become another grotesque waste of money.

[Stan42]

If electrically powered vehicles were feasible they would have been adopted by many countries by now. Fact is, they are very limited in terms of operating time, even without aircon.

[asdecas]

"The Ministry of Transport is to propose electric buses to ply Bangkok streets alongside the NGV-powered buses to see which is more appropriate and save operation cost. Initially it will seek approval for 500 electric buses first on a trial run."

It seems odd to me that the MoT should seek to have 500 such buses for a trial run. Why so many ? The OP mentions electric buses in the UK and in London, for example, the Mayor approved 4 electric buses for trials last year.

https://www.tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2014/july/first-british-built-electric-buses-enter-service

Supposing the trial does not go well or that overheads for them are greater than the MoT imagine then the 500 buses are likely to become another grotesque waste of money.

Yes, but how is anyone going to make any grey money if they only trial, say, ten buses?

[asdecas]

[razer]

Welcome to the 21st century.

[dragonfly94]

Designed by computers, built by robots, driven by idiots!

[dunks]

I think they mean gas and electric Hybrid buses, No such thing as an electric bus.

Maybe not in your world, but: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_electric_bus#Electric_bus

Chattanooga, Tennessee operates nine zero-fare electric buses, which have been in operation since 1992 and have carried 11.3 million passengers and covered a distance of 3,100,000 kilometres (1,900,000 mi), They were made locally by Advanced Vehicle Systems. Two of these buses were used for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.[8][9]

Beginning in the summer of 2000, Hong Kong Airport began operating a 16-passenger Mitsubishi Rosa electric shuttle bus, and in the fall of 2000, New York City began testing a 66-passenger battery-powered school bus, an all electric version of the Blue Bird TC/2000.[10] A similar bus was operated in Napa Valley, California for 14 months ending in April, 2004.[11]

The 2008 Beijing Olympics used a fleet of 50 electric buses, which have a range of 130 km (81 mi) with the air conditioning on. They use Lithium-ion batteries, and consume about 1 kW·h/mi (0.62 kW·h/km; 2.2 MJ/km). The buses were designed by the Beijing Institute of Technology and built by the Jinghua Coach Co. Ltd.[12] The batteries are replaced with fully charged ones at the recharging station to allow 24-hour operation of the buses.[13]

In France, the bus electric phenomenon is in development, but we already can find some of them in operation in numerous cities of France.[14] PVI, a medium company located in the Paris region, is one of the leader of the market with its brand Gepebus (offering Oreos 2X and Oreos 4X).[15]

In the United States, the first battery-electric, fast-charge bus has been in operation in Pomona, California since September 2010 at Foothill Transit. The Proterra EcoRide BE35 uses lithium-titanate batteries and is able to fast-charge in less than 10 minutes.[16]

In 2014, the first production model all-electric school bus was delivered to the Kings Canyon Unified School District in Californias San Joaquin Valley. The Class-A school bus was built by Trans Tech Bus, using an electric powertrain control system developed by Motiv Power Systems, of Foster City, CA. The bus was one of four the district ordered. The first round of SST-e buses (as they are called) is partly funded by the AB 118 Air Quality Improvement Program administered by the California Air Resources Board. This battery electric school bus has 4 sodium nickel batteries. The Trans Tech/Motiv vehicle has passed all KCUSD and California Highway Patrol inspections and certifications. Although some diesel hybrids are in use, this is the first modern electric school bus approved for student transportation by any state.

The first all-electric school bus in the state of California pausing outside the California capitol building in Sacramento.The same technology is used to power the Mountain View Community Shuttles. This technology was supported by the California Energy Commission, and the shuttle program is being supported by Google. [17]

Thunder Sky[edit]Thunder Sky (based in Hong Kong) builds lithium-ion batteries used in submarines and has three models of electric buses, the 10/21 passenger EV-6700 with a range of 280 km (170 mi) under 20 mins quick-charge, the EV-2009 city buses, and the 43 passenger EV-2008 highway bus, which has a range of 300 km (190 mi) under quick-charge (20 mins to 80%), and 350 km (220 mi) under full charge (25 mins). The buses will also be built in the United States and Finland.[18]

Free Tindo[edit]Tindo is an all-electric bus from Adelaide, Australia. The Tindo (aboriginal word for sun) is made by Designline International[19] in New Zealand and gets its electricity from a solar PV system on Adelaide's central bus station. Rides are zero-fare as part of Adelaide's public transport system.[20]

First electric commercial bus[edit]Seoul Metropolitan Government runs the world's first commercial all-electric bus service. The bus was developed by Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hankuk Fiber which make a lightweight body from carbon composite material. Provided with Li-on battery and regenerative braking, the bus may run to 52 miles (84 km) in a single 30 minutes charge. The maximum speed is 62 miles per hour (100 km/h).[21]

Great post! Thank you. The technology is in use. Will the Thais use it? I very much doubt it. Som nam na.

[rijit]

sounds the way to go.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[timber]

Good idea as long as they have the electrical power to support it. Clean, quiet, and efficient.

[ToddinChonburi]

OK I can admit I was wrong. just wondering why I have not seen this back in the USA. They use Hybrid buses in Minneapolis and these electric jobs would be much better . must be a problem when using ac defrost and heaters. heavy rain and humidity , wipers on high, defrost on high and wipers on high. They can not seem to make a car that can do this now we are suppose to believe that a bus can. They are struggling to get 70 miles out of an electric car in real world tests. Good Luck Bangkok !!!!

[Lite Beer]

Bangkok: – The Transport Ministry is planning to buy 500 electric buses to service Bangkok commuters after a study shows a lower maintenance cost in comparison to NGV buses.

Read More: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/818475-electric-buses-coming-to-bangkok/

[F4UCorsair]

solar panels on the rooftop of the buses would probably be enough to run the aircon....

Only if the bus is 100 meters long, 10 meters wide and the roof is coveredI by solar panels!

That may be an exaggeration, but my solar array is about the area of a bus roof but wouldn't come close to running even a small aircon....... particularly at night! (That's a joke, incidentally)

Edited April 19, 2015 by F4UCorsair

[tw25rw]

solar panels on the rooftop of the buses would probably be enough to run the aircon....

Maybe a fan and the driver's radio..

[berybert]

They will never find a lead long enough.