IDTechEx: Rapid Progress with Pure Electric Buses

July 28, 2015 | By Business Wire News

CAMBRIDGE, England

China is where most of the hybrid and pure electric buses will be made and sold over the coming decade, as discussed in the report by IDTechEx Research, Electric Buses 2015-2025 (www.IDTechEx.com/buses).

Latest from China

According to the latest statistics from the Chinese bus industry, the total sales volume of Yutong E7 had reached 1,753 units as of April 2015, accounting for 67.9% of the overall sale of medium full electric buses measuring from seven meters to ten meters in length. In May, Yutong E7 maintained growth with a monthly sales volume registering at 167 units.

Latest from UK

The UK shamefully has the most polluted road in the world, Oxford Street in London. The new Crossrail underground into Oxford Street will help reduce the nose-to-tail bus lines there but they remain hybrid at best, with no pure electric mode.

However, Transport for London (TfL) has announced that Arriva has been awarded the contract to operate route 312 from September 2015, which will become the first route in London to be operated entirely by pure electric buses.

There are currently two Optare MetroCity pure electric single deck buses on this route, which have been used as an initial test for whether the technology could stand up to the intense urban environment of London. Arriva is in talks with a view to adding a further seven pure electric buses to the route. A date for conversion to all-electric buses will be confirmed later this year.

Pure electric buses have zero tail pipe emissions, resulting in lower carbon emissions and improved air quality, the only two other ways of getting this with buses being energy harvesting such as solar panels – currently not up to the job on its own – and expensive fuel cell buses. As the new report from IDTechEx Research, High Power Energy Harvesting: Off-Grid 10kW-100kW 2016-2026 explains, energy harvesting encompasses solar panels, regenerative braking and many other options.

The current trials of pure electric buses, which will at least have regenerative braking, will help TfL develop plans for greater use of pure electric buses in central London in the future, contributing to the Mayor’s vision of a central London Ultra Low Emission Zone. For more see the IDTechEx Research report, Electric Buses 2015-2025.