Power semiconductors are key components of the power control units (PCUs) used in all types of vehicles with electric powertrains – EVs, hybrids and fuel cell vehicles. Current power semiconductors are leaky, accounting for around 20 percent of a vehicle’s electrical losses, so raising their efficiency could be a rewarding area of study. Toyota has… Read more »
Search Results Found For: "US Hybrid"
Volvo Electric Hybrid bus begins operation on Hamburg’s Innovation Route
The city of Hamburg, Germany has a plan to electrify its public transport system: starting in 2020 it will acquire only emission-free buses. The city’s public transit company, the Hamburger Hochbahn, has opened a special bus route, Innovation Route 109, on which it will run comparative tests of modern drive technologies under everyday conditions. The… Read more »
Plug-in hybrid kit maker Echo Automotive goes out of business
The commercial fleet market promises great opportunities for startups, but also great dangers. A number of companies are trying to electrify this segment, and several have already fallen by the wayside. The latest to run out of juice is Echo Automotive, which was profiled in our April issue. The Arizona-based company has been forced to… Read more »
Transport for London tests wireless charging with diesel hybrid buses
Transport for London plans to test wireless inductive charging technology with four diesel hybrid buses. The Alexander Dennis Enviro400H E400 double-deckers will operate on route 69 between Canning Town and Walthamstow bus stations, and will be fitted with special technology enabling on-board batteries to receive a charge at bus stands at either end of the… Read more »
Volvo’s new Electric Hybrid transit bus reduces energy consumption by 60%
Volvo will officially launch its 7900 Electric Hybrid transit bus, a plug-in version of the company’s proven 7900 Hybrid, at the International IAA Commercial Vehicles show in September. The 7900, which is available in both rigid-bodied and articulated versions, offers fuel consumption and CO2 emissions up to 75% lower than a legacy diesel bus. Total… Read more »
Airbus to produce electric aircraft, envisions hybrid regional airliner
The sky’s the limit for electrified transportation. European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has a vision of a hybrid 80-90-seat regional airliner that would have high-density energy storage in the wings, and a kerosene or biofuel generator to quickly recharge the batteries on the ground or in flight. An electric-powered turboprop airliner could be operated at a… Read more »
Volvo’s plug-in hybrid buses save fuel, delight drivers
Field tests in Sweden have shown that Volvo’s plug-in hybrid buses reduce fuel consumption by 81% and total energy consumption (diesel plus electricity) by 61% compared to a comparable Euro 5 diesel bus. The silent, smooth ride is an added benefit. “Our performance results are even slightly better than we had anticipated. The plug-in hybrid… Read more »
Balqon to introduce plug-in hybrid drive system for heavy-duty trucks and buses
Balqon Corporation (OTCBB: BLQN) has entered into a joint development agreement with Polar Power Inc. to develop series plug-in hybrid systems for its line of heavy-duty electric trucks and buses. The companies will develop a 40 kw on-board DC hybrid generator to charge batteries during the daily drive cycle to increase the range of the… Read more »
Houston Harbor container cranes to get Li-ion powered hybrid systems
MJ EcoPower Hybrid Systems has awarded a contract to battery manufacturer Saft to supply lithium-ion batteries and battery management systems for four new hybrid rubber tire gantry (RTG) cranes serving Houston Harbor. RTGs are used to transport and stack shipping containers at port facilities and rail yards. Normally, the electric motors for the movement and… Read more »
Infiniti discusses plans for plug-in hybrid sports car
Infiniti brand boss Andy Palmer told Autocar that the new model will be “like the Tesla sports car option, but with more flexibility in terms of range.”
