M. Parsons Posted March 5, 2014 Report Share Posted March 5, 2014 5 years after eliminating electric buses, ETS is testing 2. Stolte admits they love diesel. EDMONTON - Edmonton is bringing in two electric buses this spring to become the second Canadian city to test the new technology, Edmonton Transit manager Charlie Stolte says.Earlier batteries needed to be recharged too frequently to be practical, but new versions can run for about 200 kilometres, he said Wednesday. The vehicles are apparently cheaper to operate, quieter and have less environmental impact than diesel buses, but Stolte hopes the nine-month project shows how well they perform in the cold. “The major concern is adaptability to Edmonton and the price point. We aren’t going to go out and buy an exorbitant amount.” The electric buses, being supplied by the Chinese company BYD, cost $700,000 to $800,000 each, compared to $430,000 for conventional diesel. Stolte will try to convince other municipalities in the region to share the $120,000 cost of the pilot project, expected to start in May. Electric buses are being tried in Montreal. They’re also in use or being tested in several U.S. cities, including New York and Los Angeles, and overseas. Edmonton is looking at replacing an average of 50 buses annually from 2017 to 2029 as the current fleet wears out, which Stolte expects will involve buying more diesel. “I’m willing to test (electric), I’m willing to pilot it, but I’m an old-school guy. I fall back on diesel.” At current prices, this would cost about $20 million a year. Edmonton eliminated its electric trolley system in 2009, mainly because of the high cost of buying new vehicles and maintaining wires and other infrastructure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAverageJoe Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 ETS would be the 3rd to try BYD after STO and STM and 4th if you include STL's Designline. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRT Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Oh boy, dirty coal burning power plants charging those batteries.... not a good idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captaintrolley Posted March 6, 2014 Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 Oh boy, dirty coal burning power plants charging those batteries.... not a good idea... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted March 6, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 6, 2014 So Chuck is gonna waste another 2 million or so to test electric busses Perhaps can explain to the board whey he continues to BUY test vehicles, when the manufacturers should be eager to provide them for testing They aren't buying them... just paying $120 000 to test them. For some reason they think St. Albert and Strathcona should pitch in though. STM's finished with their in April, so May seems about the right time for that bus to head west. $120 000 seems to be a lot of pay for doing somebody elses R&D work for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enviro_1203 Posted April 29, 2014 Report Share Posted April 29, 2014 Photos have been posted by someone on facebook in the Edm. Transit group of the 2 BYD buses at DL MacDonald... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted April 30, 2014 Board Admin Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 Indeed, they are there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted April 30, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2014 The one furthest from A. Wong in his pic has been moved to beside DLM, while the other remains at the RoW building. Got some pics today. For those that track it, the one by the RoW building doesn't have a license plate, while the 1 beside DLM has a California plate as seen in the pic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enviro_1203 Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 I think they could be the ones from LADOT? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted May 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 LADOT apparently has a fleet of BYD's, but, they are 25' and painted in their livery. I've been searching for pics trying to compare Edmonton's and haven't had much luck. BYD only just completed their first 2 buses on the California production line. Presumably any others produced to date have had a lot of work done in China. 1 bus appears to be a match, however, for a bus in a photo used in the Journal, but that's the only photos I've found online of that bus. Edit: Ha! Seems Seashore_518203 caught one of the two in Salt Lake City. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t_harris01 Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 stopped by DL and got these shots Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAverageJoe Posted May 1, 2014 Report Share Posted May 1, 2014 Only 120K for 9 months, to do the testing the manufacturer should be doing? Bloody criminal that demo's are not provided IF they want the sale Ah well, at least it's not 2 million, but I'm sure they wasted that already on other things... Its as lease, well thats what the BYD rep told im in Montreal last week. LADOT apparently has a fleet of BYD's, but, they are 25' and painted in their livery. I've been searching for pics trying to compare Edmonton's and haven't had much luck. BYD only just completed their first 2 buses on the California production line. Presumably any others produced to date have had a lot of work done in China. 1 bus appears to be a match, however, for a bus in a photo used in the Journal, but that's the only photos I've found online of that bus. Edit: Ha! Seems Seashore_518203 caught one of the two in Salt Lake City. LADOT only had one for a demo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cimon8000 Posted May 7, 2014 Report Share Posted May 7, 2014 stopped by DL and got these shots Thx for the photos, Inside out looks exactly the same as the one tested by STO and STM, although being claimed as 2nd generation due to more power and battery improvement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAverageJoe Posted May 8, 2014 Report Share Posted May 8, 2014 Thx for the photos, Inside out looks exactly the same as the one tested by STO and STM, although being claimed as 2nd generation due to more power and battery improvement No the 1st 2 that are on lease until Oct are the 1st generation. The 2nd lease/demo later this year for 2 more will be 2nd generation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cimon8000 Posted May 12, 2014 Report Share Posted May 12, 2014 No the 1st 2 that are on lease until Oct are the 1st generation. The 2nd lease/demo later this year for 2 more will be 2nd generation i don't think it's 4 buses they are going to test, i will confirm it with BYD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAverageJoe Posted May 18, 2014 Report Share Posted May 18, 2014 i don't think it's 4 buses they are going to test, i will confirm it with BYD Thats what the rep said but also its hard to understand his english. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted May 20, 2014 Board Admin Report Share Posted May 20, 2014 Just one of these visible outside today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cimon8000 Posted May 20, 2014 Report Share Posted May 20, 2014 Thats what the rep said but also its hard to understand his english. i don't think he means 4 buses trust me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAverageJoe Posted May 22, 2014 Report Share Posted May 22, 2014 i don't think he means 4 buses trust me He did clearly state they would try both the 1st and 2nd gen's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted May 23, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 Intel I have right now is that the current 2 buses run from May-October. However, at a prior City Council meeting it was stated the test for for 9 months. Either the test is cut back, or else it is plausible additional vehicles will arrive after October. Indeed, part of the test is cold weather. Pointless to end a 9 month test that's meant to include cold weather in October. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enviro_1203 Posted May 23, 2014 Report Share Posted May 23, 2014 Fleet numbers are E-1 and E-2, I will updated the wiki as soon as I can get some photos of E-2. E-1 is built in Jan 2013, with programmed signs from Salt Lake City, UT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dunlop Posted May 24, 2014 Report Share Posted May 24, 2014 Wow. $120k to test it for 9 months?? Pricey. Hmm hopefully I'll see it this summer when I visit Edm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t_harris01 Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 its a nice ride to drive...mark, shawn and myself got to test drive it...it handled nicely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cimon8000 Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 its a nice ride to drive...mark, shawn and myself got to test drive it...it handled nicely are they going to decal the bus into a different scheme or leave it plain grey? from a reliable source recently, the two electric buses(1st generation model) currently in edmonton now will be tested until next spring, and then ETS will get another two from BYD for a 1 year lease(2nd generation model), the two buses they have right now have the same specification as the the one tested in Montreal/Gatineau. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t_harris01 Posted May 27, 2014 Report Share Posted May 27, 2014 they are going to put some wrap according to training.... the current ones in Edmonton will be here till October or November then they will be going back for 2 of the 2nd generation.this also from the training dept. the 1st generation will not be here for winter. The 2nd generation will be and they will be Mitchell runs but parked and charged at DLM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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