EV News was recently invited to preview the largest fleet of electric buses in Australia. Built by airport bus operator Carbridge in partnership with Gemiland coachworks and BYD, the new fleet of six battery powered buses are owned by Sydney Airport Corporation Limited as part of a $5 million investment in environmentally friendly ground transportation technology.
With a carrying capacity of 70 passengers, each bus has a range of 500 kilometres, making up to 100 transfer journeys on a single charge. The fleet will provide transportation for over two million travellers, visitors and airport workers who use the Blu Emu shuttle service every year.
The Electric Blu Toro buses, manufactured by a joint venture between BYD & Carbridge, feature custom Gemiland bus-bodies fabricated from aero-grade aluminium for significant weight reduction. The BYD chassis comprises a ZF front axle and a ZF clone rear axle featuring dual 90 kW / 350 Nm water cooled permanent magnet wheel-hub traction motors. A maximum motor shaft speed of 7,500 rpm coupled to the rear wheels via a two stage 17.7 to 1 planetary gear hub provides surprisingly rapid acceleration and a top speed of 70 km/h.
Energy storage is via a 324 kWh BYD iron phosphate battery with the pack split between the forward roof and rear engine compartment zones connected in parallel for a bus voltage of 400 vdc. Dual BYD 40 kW Mennekes AC chargers provide 80 kW fast charging via the dual traction inverters.
The new electric blu buses will replace the airport’s existing diesel bus fleet servicing the 7 km shuttle route between the T2/T3 terminal precinct and the Blu Emu Car Park.
My 2013 Tesla Model S is now approaching 75,000 miles on the odometer. That happens to be the mileage benchmark for my next scheduled Tesla service. So I called my local Tesla service center, in Paramus, New Jersey, to set up the appointment. No problem, the service rep said. The first available slot is...a month from now. Whoa. DON'T MISS: Tesla... 
A new package of laws drafted by the European Commission aims to reduce consumption of fossil fuels within the European Union. Called "Clean Energy for All Europeans," the plan calls for emissions reductions in both the transportation and energy sectors, as well as increased use of renewable energy for electricity generation, and biodiesel for... 
Over the past few years, the cost of electricity generation from renewable-energy sources has decreased dramatically. So much so, that renewable energy may have just hit an important milestone, according to one study. In the U.S., wind and solar power are now cheaper sources of electricity than natural gas—even without subsidies. DON'T MISS... 
Which new electric car did Woz end up getting after he praised the 238-mile Chevy Bolt EV? How much more will VW's diesel emission scandal cost it as of this week? This is our look back at the Week In Reverse—right here at Green Car Reports—for the week ending on Friday, December 23, 2016. Friday, we noted that Tesla electric cars... 
Today, a new report estimates the cost of a Volkswagen 3.0-liter diesel settlement at $1 billion, Tesla tops Consumer Reports' customer satisfaction index, and we look at why electric cars may lead to job cuts. All this and more on Green Car Reports. Electric-car group buying programs have helped increase sales, and now they're spreading to new... 
Consumer Reports' enthusiasm for Tesla electric cars has fluctuated, but owners' enthusiasm has apparently remained steady. The magazine that once declared the Tesla Model S to be the best car it ever tested, but more recently it has raised concerns over reliability, and criticized the automaker's Autopilot driver-assist system. Nonetheless, Tesla... 
It takes people to make cars: to lift and install parts, check quality, test-drive them after assembly, and so forth. Automation has eliminated many of the jobs performed by humans a century ago on the Ford Model T line, and made the rest much less physically punishing for line workers. But electric cars pose a new threat: they will require even... 
Over the past few years, both national and state Chinese governments have heavily subsidized electric cars in an aggressive attempt to promote mass adoption. Electric cars are seen as an important way to combat the country's notorious air pollution, and develop the domestic auto industry. So far, the various subsidies and purchase incentives have... 
Much of the U.S. innovation in electric-car incentives and infrastructure has come not from the federal government but from one or more states, especially California. With the decision years ago to let states either comply with national emission standards or adopt the stiffer California rules, both individual states and regional groups are...