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Two South Carolina districts receive electric diesel hybrid school buses
The new plug-in hybrid diesel-electric buses will help offset increasing fuel costs while protecting the environment, potentially doubling fuel economy and reducing emissions by up to 90 percent, according to State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex. "This ‘next-generation’ school bus significantly reduces pollution and lowers the amount of greenhouse gases being released into the atmosphere,” Rex said. “It’s a great example of applying innovative thinking and cutting edge technology to one of our basic needs – getting kids to and from school each day safely and efficiently.” The buses are part of a nationwide initiative called the Plug-In Hybrid Electric School Bus Project, led by Raleigh, N.C.-based Advanced Energy, a non-profit corporation that initiated a buyer’s consortium of school districts, state energy agencies and student transportation providers. The hybrid plug-in school bus is built by IC Corporation, the nation’s largest school bus manufacturer, and Enova Systems, a leading provider of hybrid drive systems. "These deliveries mark an important milestone for the entire project, as they are South Carolina's first plug-in hybrid buses and the ninth and tenth nationwide," said Ewan Pritchard, P.E., Advanced Energy’s hybrid program manager. “These are the first buses on South Carolina roads to combine the 2007 emissions engine with the plug-in hybrid system. This combined reduction in fuel economy is tremendous, bringing emissions down to a fraction of what a normal bus emits.” South Carolina is the seventh state to take delivery of the new vehicles that are already on the road in California, Washington, Arkansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Florida. The buses are being assigned to Rock Hill Three and Richland Two routes that will match their performance against conventional diesel-powered vehicles. "We're excited to be one of the two districts in South Carolina selected to receive a hybrid diesel-electric bus,” said Rock Hill superintendent Dr. Lynn Moody. “We must teach our students how we can preserve our natural resources and be stewards of the environment through the use of safe, responsible technology." The Rock Hill bus was unveiled in ceremonies at the district’s Transportation Complex at 11 a.m. today. Richland Two’s hybrid was delivered to Round Top Elementary School in Blythewood and completed a route this afternoon carrying students from Round Top, Blythewood Middle and Blythewood High School. The driver was Shellie Ryant, the state’s 2007-08 Bus Driver of the Year. “It is a privilege for Richland Two to be one of the first districts in the state to transport students using this environmentally friendly, fuel-efficient hybrid electric school bus,” said Dr. Steve Hefner, superintendent of Richland District Two. “This is one of several ‘green’ initiatives under way in our district. In August, we launched the highly popular Parent Portal that gives parents online access to their child’s grades. A future phase of this portal will eliminate paper versions of report cards, replacing them with e-report cards.” The South Carolina Department of Education already has an active cleanup program to reduce its bus fleet’s hazardous exhaust emissions, but that has been hampered by the large number of older vehicles still in service. In 2006 the Union of Concerned Scientists said the Palmetto State had the nation’s worst-polluting school bus fleet and the largest percentage of buses 10 years old or older (87 percent). “In addition to being more prone to breakdowns and route delays, our older vehicles produce far more air pollution than newer ones with more sophisticated emission controls,” Rex said. “Thanks to the General Assembly’s approval of a 15-year replacement cycle last May, we’ll be able to count on a yearly infusion of new buses. That – along with this hybrid pilot project – will help us keep school buses safe and make them the cleanest form of transportation for children.” Education Department Transportation Director Don Tudor said the state has been using environmental protection funding to purchase emission control devices to remedy pollution from older buses. The fleet also is using a blend of biofuel with ultralow-sulfur diesel fuel, trimming emissions about 10 percent from standard diesel. South Carolina operates a fleet of 5,076 daily route buses that travel 78.7 million miles per year. Annual fuel consumption is 12.2 million gallons of diesel fuel. Each day more than 335,000 students ride a bus to and from school. 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 IC Corporation is a wholly owned affiliate of Navistar International Corporation (Other OTC: NAVZ). The nation’s largest integrated manufacturer of school buses, IC Corporation is a leader in passenger protection, chassis design, engines and ergonomics. The company is also a producer of commercial buses. All IC Corporation buses are sold, serviced and supported through a renowned dealer network that offers an integrated customer program encompassing parts, training and service. Additional information is available site at www.ic-corp.com.
About Advanced Energy
About Enova Enova Systems (AMEX: ENA and AIM: ENV and ENVS) is a leading supplier of efficient, environmentally friendly digital power components and systems products. The Company’s core competencies are focused on the development and commercialization of power management and conversion systems for mobile applications. Enova applies unique ‘enabling technologies’ in the areas of alternative energy propulsion systems for light and heavy-duty vehicles as well as power conditioning and management systems for distributed generation systems. The Company develops, designs and produces non-invasive drive systems and related components for electric, hybrid-electric, and fuel cell powered vehicles in both the “new” and “retrofit” vehicle sales market. For further information, visit www.enovasystems.com.
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