When you think of London and the big red double deck buses, you don’t think of bleeding edge technology. However next year, some hybrid London buses will recharge while they are stopped at bus stops. The buses will not have to plug-in to a charger but will have battery juice topped off by wireless inductive charging.
The wireless chargers will be built into bus stops in London, next year The Enviro400H E400 hybrid buses, with wireless charging capabilities, will run on route 69 between Canning Town and Walthamstow. The inductive charging to on-board batteries will occur at the bus stops at either ends of the route.
The wireless charging of the batteries will mean less gas (petrol) used and therefore cleaner London air. Passengers will hear less bus noise and feel a smoother ride.
Besides hybrid buses London has six electric-only buses that are the beginning London’s Mayor’s plan for all single deck buses in central London to be zero emission at tailpipe, as part of the world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone, from 2020.
TfL Transport for London reported that the inductive charging will be trialled on up to four extended range diesel electric hybrid buses in east London starting next year.
The trial will help TfL develop plans for greater use of electric buses in central London in the future, contributing to the Mayor’s vision of a central London Ultra Low Emission Zone.
Approximately 800 hybrid buses operate on London’s roads By 2016 there will be more than 1,700 hybrid buses in service on London’s streets which is 20% of the total bus fleet.
The partners in this project are: Alexander Dennis (vehicle supplier), IPT Technology (supplying the bus station charging technology), Siemens (for supplying the plug-in chargers at West Ham bus garage) and TRL and TTR (provided monitoring and evaluation support).