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North America's largest school bus manufacturer enters the hybrid electric market
WARRENVILLE, Ill. - IC Corp announced a partnership with Enova Systems, Inc. to introduce the first North American hybrid school bus, and potential fuel savings for fleet operators nationwide.
Much speculation abounded on what OEM Enova Systems would partner with, following a purposely ambiguous statement released in December announcing an upcoming project "with a major North American truck manufacturer." There was innuendo from within the industry that the release alluded to International Truck & Engine and its subsidiary IC Corp, which rolls out approximately 60,000 school buses annually.
"We believe that diesel-electric hybrid technology can be made commercially viable for the school bus industry, and this collaboration is the first step in making that a reality," said Michael Cancelliere, IC Corp's vice president and general manager.
The hybrid system promises a 40-percent increase fuel economy and performance numbers that are at least as good as straight-diesel applications. A spokesman for Enova Systems said the hybrid drivetrain actually can improve acceleration and horsepower based on its software programming. Then there are reductions in emissions, which have yet to be qualified.
"One thing we're trying to figure out is, what is emission reductions worth? What kind of dollar figure do you put on it?" asked Mike Staran, Enova's vice president of sales and marketing.
The hybrid bus features Enova's 80kW Hybrid Drive System and an International VT365 V8 diesel engine, incorporating a transmission, batteries and Enova's typical alternating current (AC) induction motor, not a permanent magnet motor as IC Corp originally released.
The system is based on a parallel architecture, allowing the system to utilize both diesel and electric power in a highly efficient manner. It recovers kinetic energy during braking, which charges the battery while the bus decelerates. Both companies said this provides additional power for acceleration and equates to better fuel efficiency, making the hybrid system ideal for the industry because school buses make frequent starts and stops.
The school bus OEM added that the powertrain is currently being evaluated at the company's research and technology facility in Fort Wayne, Ind. The hybrid prototype will be delivered to "a school bus customer in spring 2006." Details on the customer and the production timeframe were not immediately available. But Staran said its appearance as well as performance will mirror that of existing diesel applications.
" Everything is underneath the bus. You wouldn't be able to tell the difference," said Staran. "On the big trucks you may see an extra battery pack. (But this) prototype is basically the same as what will roll off of production.
Source:
School Transportation News, March 2006. All rights
reserved.
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