NYC MTA Testing New Hybrid Electric Buses

After noting earlier this week that the NYC Sanitation Department was testing hybrid trucks, the New York Times is reporting that the NYC MTA is testing another batch of hybrid electric buses. These new buses are a radical departure from earlier designs, since they aren't powered by traditional piston powered engines, but diesel turbines that generate power for electric motors.

The low-floor, hybrid electric DesignLine bus runs on a diesel turbine engine, instead of the diesel piston engine that powers the vast majority of New York City Transit’s 4,600 buses. The turbine produces alternating current, which charges the battery that powers the motor that drives the wheels. Like other hybrid electric models used by the authority, the new DesignLine bus has regenerative braking, meaning that the batteries are recharged each time the driver applies the brake.

The buses have a capacity of 35 or 37 seats, depending on the configuration, with standing room for 30.

The Times doesn't report the cost of the buses or the gas mileage expected, so we've got to dig a little deeper.

DesignLine is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The cost for a new hybrid bus? $550,000, or $200,000 more than the typical price of $350,000 per standard diesel powered bus. Some reports suggest that the price for a DesignLine hybrid is over $600,000, but that probably depends on the specifics requested by the bus services purchasing.

With the City of New York running thousands of buses, that's quite a tidy sum to shell out. How much can those hybrids save in fuel costs? According to the Charlotte Area Transit System, the hybrid buses provide a 34% improvement in miles per gallon and a 41% decrease in maintenance expenses. The hybrids are expected to last twice as long as a regular bus and with only 5% of the carbon footprint.

That has the potential to bring significant cost savings over the standard powered vehicle, but the high up-front costs will deter many transit departments from converting because of limited funds available, even with the presence of federal funds. It would require bonding and incurring debt that must be repaid over the long term, and which would reduce any cost saving. The purchase of this radically new design would also mean maintenance shops will have to retool to provide the necessary servicing of engine components.

If the current 90-day evaluation proves successful, the City will purchase 30 of the hybrid buses, with an option to buy 60 more.