Goodbye Old King Coal Generation.

Where does the electricity come from? If it is from burning fossil fuels I should probably stick with diesel buses

Not so simple. Firstly I may be trying to clean the air in the city, but less worried about the pollution from the power station.

Secondly, a diesel bus will not allow regenerative braking, and the engine runs even when you are stopped at the bus stop or in traffic (at least in older buses).

Consider this  very modern 7900 electric volvo bus

an 8 hour day of perhaps 150-200km on a full  charge.

or this
diesel figures, same manufacturer    this sort of  thing, perhaps 30 litres per 100km.


Looks like a winner - 30 litres for one hour only is 140kVA genset (  ish  -   link)

And electricity generation is a touch more efficient that a diesel genset in a proper power station.

And a lot better if like the UK we have some nuclear and some wind generation to throw in the mix.



So how far can we go on a 140 kVA battery?

usual caveats

so more like 100 to 200km in reality then.

Not clear that the electric option is worse, it may be better, even just as it is.

I'd be the first to agree there have been some noticable cock ups  on early systems 

example the Albuquerque Rapid Transit   but I suggest that shows the technology is immature, not impossible

(battery temperature control was a large part of the failure of that pilot, and the longer range per day required compared to a typical

European city bus route.)


 

Where does the electricity come from? If it is from burning fossil fuels I should probably stick with diesel buses

Not so simple. Firstly I may be trying to clean the air in the city, but less worried about the pollution from the power station.

Secondly, a diesel bus will not allow regenerative braking, and the engine runs even when you are stopped at the bus stop or in traffic (at least in older buses).

Consider this  very modern 7900 electric volvo bus

an 8 hour day of perhaps 150-200km on a full  charge.

or this
diesel figures, same manufacturer    this sort of  thing, perhaps 30 litres per 100km.


Looks like a winner - 30 litres for one hour only is 140kVA genset (  ish  -   link)

And electricity generation is a touch more efficient that a diesel genset in a proper power station.

And a lot better if like the UK we have some nuclear and some wind generation to throw in the mix.



So how far can we go on a 140 kVA battery?

usual caveats

so more like 100 to 200km in reality then.

Not clear that the electric option is worse, it may be better, even just as it is.

I'd be the first to agree there have been some noticable cock ups  on early systems 

example the Albuquerque Rapid Transit   but I suggest that shows the technology is immature, not impossible

(battery temperature control was a large part of the failure of that pilot, and the longer range per day required compared to a typical

European city bus route.)