BYD to unveil new electric transit bus and motor coach
24 September 2019
BYD will unveil a new electric transit bus (K7M-ER) and a new electric motor coach (C9M) at BusCon 2019, held at the Indianapolis Convention Center in Indianapolis 23-25 September.
The K7M-ER will also be displayed at the Colorado Association of Transit Agencies (CASTA) conference at the Keystone Conference Center in Keystone, Colorado from 24-27 September.
In designing the K7M-ER, BYD listened to its transit agency customers and made the vehicle 101.6 inches wide, allowing for the placement of a wheelchair ramp at the front of the bus rather than toward the back. The K7M-ER has a range of up to 185 miles, 20 seats, and a charging time of 3.5 to 4 hours.
The C9M is 40-foot long motor coach, the first battery-electric motor coach of its length in the industry. The C9M is an ideal commuter coach. The C9M has a range of up to 200 miles and can be equipped to have 49 seats or 45 seats with a restroom. The C9M has a charging time of 4.5 to 5 hours.
All BYD buses sold to US transit agencies exceed the Federal Transit Administration’s “Buy America” regulatory requirements.
Range is too limited and charge time is too long? A small on board FC could solve both problems?
Posted by: HarveyD | 24 September 2019 at 08:17 AM
FC would work for interstate.
Posted by: SJC | 24 September 2019 at 09:29 AM
All a fuel cell will do is add to the purchase costs, fuel costs, and maintenance costs. Plus you would have to have hydrogen storage facilities. You do not need additional range for urban transit buses or commuter coaches. The coaches BYD is offering could be used to make the 120 mile trip from Salt Lake to Wendover, NV. Maybe fuel cells would be useful for interstate travel but I would bet on fast charging batteries before I would bet on fuel cells.
Posted by: sd | 24 September 2019 at 05:26 PM
My basic - and fundamental objection to FCs being employed in POVs and short range transportation result from the experience I made with a team in a project for Saudi Aramco. We were tasked to provide a tank farm management system (TFMS) to supervise the ongoing daily traffic among among the various tanks. These tanks were filled via a pipeline and depleted from tank-trucks distributing the different fuels (super, normal, diesel). With the TFMS it was possible to monitor all the activities at every tank of the farm and determine the amount of fuel filled into - and drawn from the tanks at days end.
I shall not delve into details, neither pertaining to hard- or software concerning the function of the TFMS. However, several years after commissioning the TFMS, I discovered to my utter dismay, that this system was being misused in the filling stations - literally - worldwide. The sole purpose in this enhanced application at the pumps was to maximize profits for big oil at the expense of the broad public. The price is no longer determined by factors of cost and margin rather by unlimited greed. All those presently profiting from the oil business envisage a perfect substitute-model for oil and gas with H2. With H2 they can - primarily - return to business as usual. Personally, I detest and hate to be exploited from anyone particularly from big oil. I love and enjoy the freedom I've gained with my PV-system, my heat pump, and my BEV. No one has exploited me within the last decade and that - believe me - is an undescribable wonderful feeling.
Posted by: yoatmon | 25 September 2019 at 03:40 AM
Using EVs and 100% e-HVAC with home made electricity (with enough e-storage for rainy days and long nights) is a strong possibility for cleaner operation but could be more costly than using (dirty) electricity from large e-power firms.
Improved performance (3X) lower cost ($50/kWh) batteries and (50% efficiency) lower cost solar panels are required to be competitive?
Of course, better built homes and vehicles would make it easier to reach?
Posted by: HarveyD | 25 September 2019 at 10:15 AM
<nods> Been saying this for years.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 26 September 2019 at 03:51 AM