San Francisco Municipal Railway Orders 56 Hybrid Electric Buses [View All]

http://www.enn.com/alt.html?id=305

August 22, 2005 — By ENN

SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Municipal Railway has ordered 56 hybrid diesel electric buses from the DaimlerChrysler's transit bus brand Orion, with an option for 56 more units. The Orion VII diesel-electric 40-foot buses, similar to a large and growing fleet of Orion hybrid buses in service in New York City, promise significant emissions reductions and fuel savings compared to standard diesel buses, and also outperform conventionally powered vehicles.

Mississauga, Ontario-based Orion Bus Industries, along with partner BAE Systems, producer of the HybriDrive(R) series hybrid propulsion system, will deliver the Orion VII model buses in 2006. These buses, the first production hybrid diesel-electric units ordered by a California transit system, will be certified to standards for diesel electric hybrid buses recently adopted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

The order also is the fourth largest ever for hybrid buses. MTA New York City Transit, which is assembling the world's largest hybrid fleet, with 325 units, also uses the Orion VII model. This spring, the Toronto Transit Commission placed an order for 150 buses of the same configuration.

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Compared to standard diesel propulsion, the hybrid units will provide 25 percent to 35 percent better fuel economy while greatly reducing emissions: 90 percent less particulate matter, 40 percent less NOx, and 30 percent fewer greenhouse gases. Drivers will enjoy faster acceleration and customers will experience a quieter, smoother ride free of the frequent transmission shifts encountered in conventional buses.

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