FIRST 18-METRE HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELL PHILEAS
The starting signal was given on Thursday 20 November 2008 for the development and delivery of a total of four Phileas hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles each with a length of 18 metres. This is a world’s first because this is not just the first Phileas hydrogen and fuel cell but it is also the first hydrogen and fuel cell vehicle with a length of 18 metres. Up until now only hydrogen and fuel cell buses have been built which had a length of up to 13.5 metres. Two Phileas buses are intended for GVB (Municipal Transport Company) in Amsterdam (the Netherlands) and two for the RVK (‘Regional Verkehr Köln’) in Cologne (Germany).
ELDERLY TO TRAVEL MORE IN THE FUTURE
Published at 24.11.2008 in International developments, Public transport
An interesting report was recently published in the Netherlands, in which the influence of the elderly on the expected growth of mobility was estimated. Since the Netherlands are part of a global region which has about the same demographic pyramid, the results of this Dutch survey will probably also apply to the rest of Western Europe.
ALTAIRNANO TO GET TESTED IN DESIGNLINE HYBRID BUSES
Published at 23.11.2008 in Alternatives, Public transport
Altair Nanotechnologies Inc., provider of advanced materials and products for power and energy systems, announced it received an initial $540,000 order for four hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) demonstration battery packs from DesignLine International. The HEV battery packs will be utilized in buses for three city transit customers, and one HEV battery pack will be used for a modular testing program.
MAJOR EXPANSION FOR US CNG POWERED BUS FLEETS
Published at 22.11.2008 in Alternatives, Public transport
Public transit agencies in San Diego, CA, Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ have undertaken major expansions of their compressed natural gas (CNG) powered bus fleets. With the addition of new CNG buses to the cities' three transit agency fleets, the combined fuel requirement is anticipated to lead to an incremental increase of approximately 2.5 million gallons (equivalent) per year.
INITIATIVE IN CALIFORNIA DEFINES ROADMAP FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
At a press conference held on November 20th 2008 in San Francisco City Hall, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, along with the Mayors of San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland, joined together with the Bay Area Council, the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, and the Better Place organisation of Palo Alto to announce a plan to reinvigorate the state and region’s competitive advantage in innovative technology through public-private investments in electric vehicles and other elements of “green” infrastructure. This new approach challenges conventional assumptions that economic and environmental recovery are at odds with each other, and aligns them, instead.
