Buildings
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Austin Officials Unveil Texas’ First Hybrid School Bus Austin, T.X. (November 7, 2007) — Austin City Council Member Lee Leffingwell and other local officials today joined Austin School Board members Vincent Torres and Cheryl Bradley and Austin Superintendent Pat Forgione to unveil the new plug-in hybrid school bus the school district recently purchased. The Austin School District is the first district in Texas to purchase such a bus “This is one more way the District is working in the community to help keep the environment clean and safe,” said Superintendent Forgione. “This also sends an important message to our students, who we want to model good environmental behavior.” “The City of Austin prides itself on our good environmental stewardship,” said Mayor Wynn. “This partnership highlights the way the City and the Austin School District can work with private partners to develop innovative ways to protect the environment.” “Our willingness to test this bus for a year says we are committed to improving the quality of Austin’s air, and it says we are committed to creating an environment that is safer and healthier for our students,” said Trustee Vincent Torres, vice-president of the Austin School Board. “IC Corporation’s hybrid school bus revolutionizes the school bus industry,” said Michael Cancelliere, Vice President and General Manager of IC Corporation, the nation’s largest school bus manufacturer. “Improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions helps school districts and the environment. IC Corporation is committed to environmental leadership and delivering value to our customers.” “Bringing this plug-in hybrid bus to Austin is a good example of how, when organizations like those listed here work in partnership, great things can be achieved,” said Hazel Barbour, Program Manager of the Clean School Bus Program of Central Texas. “The Clean School Bus Program of Central Texas, which is itself a partnership program of Capital Area Council of Governments and the CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas, was able to help AISD purchase the plug-in hybrid bus through a grant from the EPA Blue Skyways Collaborative.” “When we initiated national efforts, Texas emerged as a key leader,” said Ewan Pritchard, Advanced Energy’s hybrid program manager. The Raleigh, N.C., based organization has facilitated the Plug-In Hybrid Electric School Bus Project since starting it in 2002. “Austin was a natural fit because of support from Austin Energy and the city’s dedication to reducing negative impacts on the environment.” The state-of-the art bus was unveiled at the Gus Garcia Middle School in Northeast Austin. The 71-passenger bus is a 2007 IC Corporation bus with a MaxxForce™ engine. The 2007 diesel engine meets the latest federal emission standards. The electric motor is built by Enova. The District purchased this bus with the help of grants from Advanced Energy, Austin Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency, through Clean School Bus Program of Central Texas. It is expected that the bus will get approximately twelve miles to the gallon, which would represent an increase of 100 percent, as most school buses get around six miles to the gallon of diesel. This is the first plug-in hybrid school bus in Texas, and one of only 18 in the United States. The Austin School District had been working collaboratively with the partners for two years to develop the prototype bus. To test the efficiency of the bus, school officials are required to complete mandatory quarterly performance reports by comparing it to a brand new traditional school bus. The conventional and hybrid buses will be tested on the same routes so the variables such as road conditions will be identical, district officials said. How the hybrid school bus works Large battery packs under the bus supply electric power. When charged overnight, these batteries can provide stored energy to be drawn down over the driving cycle. The system also recovers kinetic energy during braking, charging the batteries while the bus is slowing down. This provides additional power for acceleration, making the hybrid buses ideal because of their routes’ frequent starts and stops. The hybrid’s electric power is much cheaper and cleaner than fossil fuels such as diesel, delivering the same performance for approximately 70 cents per gallon and about a third of the emissions. The hybrid buses are expected to get more than 12 miles per gallon. About IC Corporation Advanced Energy is a Raleigh, N.C.-based nonprofit corporation that enables utility customers to improve returns on their energy investments. The corporation also strives to create environmental, economic and societal benefits through innovative and market-based approaches to energy. The Hybrid Electric School Bus Project represents a collaborative effort among many parties to improve the nation’s air quality. The project has demonstrated that industry, government and non-profits can successfully work together to improve the environment and encourage the economy. About Enova
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