First hybrid bus to be put on test run for five months beginning Thursday



BANGKOK: -- The city’s bus operator, Bangkok Mass Transit Authority, on Wednesday unveiled its first Japanese-made hybrid bus which will be put on trial run for five months beginning Thursday until November 15.

Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisit and his deputy, Mr Omsin Chivapruek, were among a group of VIPs and reporters, took a ride of the diesel-electric bus from the Transport Ministry to Sanam Luang and back to the starting point.

Initially, the only hybrid bus will be put on test service in Route 137 between Ramkhamhaeng and Ratchadapisek for a certain period of time after which it will be operated in the other routes until November 15 when the test runs will be completed.

During the test runs, data concerning fuel consumption and efficiency, practicality of the hybrid bus and other aspects will be collected and evaluated to determine whether a fleet of this kind of bus should be bought in the future.

Imported from Japan, the bus has 26 seats and has enough space for 40-50 people standing. The four front seats can be folded up to accommodate two wheel chairs.

The bus normally runs with its diesel engine but when traffic is bad, it will switch to electricity.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/first-hybrid-bus-put-test-run-five-months-beginning-thursday/


-- Thai PBS 2016-06-16

This is great news for Bangkok transit service.

Hope it's successful

It certainly has to be an improvement over what they have in place now.

Can only imagine the cost of importing this bus from Japan though.

Unless they caught Customs on a good day...Lol

Within 10 minutes of starting its first run it will probably be involved in an accident

when traffic is bad, it will switch to electricity

Better have a high capacity battery.

Use of diesel seems a step backwards with regard to helping Bangkok's air pollution. Air pollution and a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation was a reason Minister of Transportation was replacing all of Bangkok's diesel and some NGV buses with leased Chinese electric buses. The balance of its fleet of NGV buses was to be upgraded for better NGV efficiency and maintenance.

Now out of the blue comes a diesel/electric hybrid for a test run? Likely the Hino Blue Ribbon HIMR Bus manufactured by Hino Motors, Ltd.