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TTC: Electric and alternative fuel buses

One argument for ETBs might be the likelihood that their garages would be relatively more welcome than their diesel brethren. But then the EMF fears would kick in I suppose...
 
At the next TTC meeting (February 21, 2017), Commissioner Joe Mihevc will be presenting a request (see link) for Electric Bus Charging.

CUTA has requested support for a national effort to establish electric bus charging stations. A national strategy could help reduce procurement costs, improve performance and increase adoption rates.

Given that the TTC will be pursuing bus purchases in the years to come, my request is for a report on the transit propulsion technologies that the TTC is considering and where electric energy sources might fit in.

Attached you will find the CUTA-recommended station. At this point I am not urging that the TTC and Council adopt it. I am recommending thoughtful study that could be the basis of a motion.
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MOTION TO PURSUE PAN-CANADIAN HARMONIZATION OF ELECTRIC BUS CHARGING TECHNOLOGY, TO REDUCE PROCUREMENT COSTS, IMPROVE PERFORMANCE AND INCREASE ADOPTION RATES OF ELECTRIC-BUS
TECHNOLOGY

Whereas the City of <name> and the Province of <name> have agreed to pursue green procurement policies for <transit system name> operations;

Whereas a consensus is forming across Canada on the need to reduce GHG emissions through new technologies;

Whereas Greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector primarily come from burning fossil fuel for buses cars and trucks as over 90 percent of the fuel used for transportation is petroleum based, which includes gasoline and diesel;

Whereas Canadian transit manufacturers are currently researching, developing and deploying new electric transit technologies that will offer significant emissions reductions;

Whereas costs for these new technologies are still out of reach for many Canadian municipalities, due in part to their slow rate of adoption across Canada;

Whereas a leading factor in the slow adoption of electric transit technologies is the lack of technological harmonization across municipalities and between transit manufacturers;

It is proposed by

Seconded by

That Council declare that it will pursue a coherent and sustained procurement policy with regards to electric bus charging technologies that is harmonized with other municipalities across Canada;

That Council request other municipalities join in this harmonization, with the goal of more quickly commercializing electric transit technologies, increasing their adoption and reducing urban GHG emissions in the transportation sector;

That Council urge transit manufacturers to create a Canadian standard for electric bus manufacturing, including but not limited to charging infrastructure.
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BYD buses are currently grabbing a larger market share than the others who have been around a lot longer than them.

Based on the BYD artic bus that was in Mississauga last year, it can get 400 km without recharging and only need to be plug in at night without all the overhead that other system use on route.

I will say by 2020, TTC should start to see these electric buses, since they are becoming a lot cheaper to built and maintain over diesel buses.
 
I think Tesla maybe looking into getting into buses at some point too. I think it could get very interesting at some point when we have a lot more companies looking for electric busses.
 
EastYorkTTCFan said:
Solar panels on moving vechles aren't very effective as they can be blocked by a lot of things like for example tall buildings.
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That does not change the fact that electric buses with solar panels would be much more useful in the suburbs, where streets are wide and there aren't many tall buildings to form an urban canyon there.

Imagine Züm and VIVA buses having solar panels on their roofs.
 
Johnny Au said:
That does not change the fact that electric buses with solar panels would be much more useful in the suburbs, where streets are wide and there aren't many tall buildings to form an urban canyon there.

Imagine Züm and VIVA buses having solar panels on their roofs.
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It's still a moving vechle though, solar panels do better when they are in a fixed position or can track the sun on their own.
 
EastYorkTTCFan said:
It's still a moving vechle though, solar panels do better when they are in a fixed position or can track the sun on their own.
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If they can track the Sun on their own, what stops them from tracking it when moving as well? Modern solar panel arrays are good at finding the position with the most efficiency, so a bus moving or turning won't be a problem. Anyways, having the solar panels on top of the electric buses will make a difference, but that difference it makes may not be enough the justify the present cost of solar panels. I could work in the 5-10 years when the cost goes down and the efficiency improves, but now not worth it.
 
Johnny Au said:
That does not change the fact that electric buses with solar panels would be much more useful in the suburbs,...
Click to expand...

I'm still not sure the panels would generate enough to offset the added weight being carried around. Regenerative breaking is helpful but the stop/start process is still a significant net loss and this would make it worse. Battery compliment still needs to assume panel supply isn't available (overnight service, stormy/foggy day service, etc.)

I think static panels on buildings or even bus shelters along the route feeding the normal electrical grid coupled with a pantograph at specific points (inside stations and a couple other locations where long stops are common) to recharge would work better despite more wiring.
 
drum118 said:
BYD buses are currently grabbing a larger market share than the others who have been around a lot longer than them.

Based on the BYD artic bus that was in Mississauga last year, it can get 400 km without recharging and only need to be plug in at night without all the overhead that other system use on route.

I will say by 2020, TTC should start to see these electric buses, since they are becoming a lot cheaper to built and maintain over diesel buses.
Click to expand...

 
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