Seattle-based King County Metro Transit will be deploying 120 Xcelsior buses from New Flyer Industries Inc. that feature the HybriDrive Series-E hybrid-electric propulsion system from BAE Systems.
‘HybriDrive Series-E is categorized as hybrid drive system, but the fact is, it powers a bus completely electrically,’ says Steve Trichka, vice president and general manager of HybriDrive solutions for BAE Systems. ‘Power from the on-board generator is either stored in the batteries or drawn to run the electric traction motor and the drivetrain.’
‘The buses will be delivered with advanced electrically controlled programming that turns the engine off at bus stops and depots,’ adds Kevin Desmond, general manager of King County Metro Transit. ‘In addition, the vehicles will have all electrically driven components that use the vehicle's electric energy instead of power from the diesel engine.’
BAE Systems says this deployment from King County Metro Transit represents the largest order to date of the HybriDrive Series-E system.
