Looking Into Zero Emission Buses For Kuala Lumpur

By Hazlinda Hamzah KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 (Bernama) -- Just walk or drive along the roads in Kuala Lumpur and you will soon realise that the buses are among major air polluters. The black smoke spewing from the exhaust pipes in the rear, and the racket caused by noisy engines clearly indicate the buses here are neither an environmentally friendly nor a people-friendly urban transport system. However, the buses are still an indispensable mode of public transportation and therefore greener buses in Kuala Lumpur will not only help in reduce air- pollution but also encourage more people to use buses. In many parts of the developed world, green buses are already in service playing an effective role in facilitating urban mobility and helping to reduce green house gas (GHG) emissions. HYBRID SYSTEM Among them is the HybriDrive series of buses manufactured by the BAE Systems, a United Kingdom (UK)-based company that produces efficient, low-emission hybrid electric propulsion systems for buses. The HybriDrive Series employs a technology that powers vehicles through the adoption of a cleaner and smarter power for transit concept. Currently, more than 3,500 buses are powered with this system and it has transported more than a billion passengers in cities across North America and the UK. The HybriDrive engine has been used by world leading bus manufacturers including Daimler Orion, New Flyer, and Nova Bus in the United States, and Alexander Dennis and Irisbus Iveco in Europe. This system is one of the most efficient hybrid systems having served more than 300 million miles (480 million kilometres) of revenue service, with a savings of more than 95 million litres of diesel fuel. Developed by BAE Systems, this hybrid-electric propulsion system has eliminated approximately 280,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission. At least 595 of the company's hybrids are in service currently, or will be in service, in the UK. ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES? Realising the potential of its green technology, BAE Systems is expanding its HybriDrive products to Asia and Australasia. “We are targeting big cities where buses move only at a speed up to 12 kilometres per hour. We believe the HybriDrive bus would benefit Kuala Lumpur and the city dwellers. A total fuel reduction of between 30 per cent to 35 per cent is possible with the Hybrid Series besides the big drop in carbon dioxide emission,” Bruce Boden, head of New Market Development for Transport Systems Asia/Pacific shared with Bernama in Kuala Lumpur recently. This system is the clear leader in the European market. “We are on a journey towards the full Zero Emission Vehicles or the ZEV. This series provides a superior performance for urban operations. Our first bus of the HybriDrive series went on the road to offer service in 1998, but the technology then faced a shortage of battery power. Now, the batteries used can last for six years,” Boden explained. Currently, the ZEV is also on trial in Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico towards a possible consideration for long term use. GREENER ENVIRONMENT Green buses are the answer for cleaner cities. The world’s largest hybrid bus fleet of 1,675 buses already serves riders in New York City. “The people in New York wanted to get the city cleaned up and improving transportation is the most cost-effective. We compared fuel consumption in the UK among the fleets in competition and found about 47 per cent reduction with the double decker buses in London. For midi buses, there was an improvement of 35 per cent. We believe if the same buses are deployed in the streets of Kuala Lumpur, the cleaner air will definitely boost people’s willingness to commute by bus,” Boden added. Using the bus to accommodate the people’s transportation needs will see the need for no major revamp or extra reconstructing efforts to the existing infrastructure. Boden, however, finds the traffic flow in Kuala Lumpur still manageable, “The traffic is not an endemic problem yet, compared with some other big cities around the world. "However, the greener bus will see the Malaysian capital benefiting from it plus the greater possibility of reaping the best possible returns on this protect-earth investment.” -- BERNAMA