Battery bus comes to UK
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• A battery powered urban bus that has proved a success in Germany is on its way to the UK.
Rotherham-based Carlton PSV, British distributor for Neoplan, has a potential buyer who operates in a town with many historical buildings under threat from pollution from vehicle emissions. They may take 12 of the carbon-fibre bodiedvehicles which are also available with diesel and gas engines: an electric-diesel is in the pipeline.
Neoplan's MIC (Metroliner in Carbon) bus was launched in 1988 — more than 400 are in service with operators including Berlin City Transport.
They range from 7.85m to 11.76m, with capacities from 19 seated/12 standing to 40 seated/20 standing.
The battery-powered version is most popular with German operators. It is powered by a battery pack giving an output of 120V which drives a Germanmade ABB electric motor. Some models have an electric motor fitted to each rear wheel; others have a single motor on the drive axle.
The battery pack can power the bus through urban traffic for up to five hours before it needs re-charging providing a top speed of 48km/h (30mph). The gas and diesel models can do 64km/h (40mph).
The diesel bus uses a 2.3-litre BMW car engine. Lavin says it uses 25% less fuel than conventional buses because the body is about 30% lighter. MAN and Mercedes-Benz engines are also available, and Neoplan is considering using Japanese engines. A range of transmissions is available, including Voith Midimat and ZF.
The natural gas bus stores its fuel in a roof tank and uses a choice of converted MercedesBenz or MAN 104kW (139hp) diesel engines.
The price of the MIC bus starts from £137,000. It has a claimed service life of 20 years, five years more than a steel or aluminium-bodied bus. Replacement parts are said to be cheaper than for a conventional bus.
The body is made in a mould in two sections, which are glued together with resins. It is the only carbon fibre bus to pass BCE R66 roll-over regulations, says Lavin.
0 Operators of some threeaxle Neoplan Skyliners will be able to have their front axle uprated from 6.5 to 7.5 tonnes to avoid the risk of overloading with baggage. Operators of vehicles built before 1984 or with the original NTB0024 braking system will be able to pay for the E1,000 conversion which takes two days.