
Milton Keynes Electric Bus in Arriva fleet
Baroness Kramer, the Minister of State for Transport, recently officially launched an all-electric bus route in Milton Keynes, UK.
The goal of the project is to demonstrate that electric buses can perform on a par with diesel counterparts and to check commercial viability.
For five years, eight buses (converted Wright StreetLite) with wireless charging from Conductix-Wampfler will operate seven days a week, running 17 hours a day covering over 56,000 miles per year.
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This Bus is Electric
"Instead of plugging into the mains, the new buses will be able to recharge their batteries wirelessly during their working day. This means they can run a continuous service for a whole 17 hours, just like a diesel bus. The concept is simple: wireless charging plates set into the road transfer power directly to receiving plates underneath the bus, using a technique based on the principles of electrical induction. In just 10 minutes, a bus parked over a charging point will replenish two-thirds of the energy consumed on its 15-mile route."
Two wireless charging stations were placed on the route to serve whole fleet. Drivers have scheduled breaks when the 10-minute charging occurs, so there are virtually no delays in service.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4L20yc4JxE
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