Baltimore Adds Hybrid-Electric Buses to Transit System, Expects 40% Fuel Savings

Baltimore Adds Hybrid-Electric Buses to Transit System, Expects 40% Fuel Savings

Buses Can Run on Battery Power Alone Up to 40% of the Time for Big Cut in Emissions

The city of Baltimore has unveiled the first of the 21 new gas-electric hybrid buses that will be in service by this fall, the maker of the buses said.

The buses, built by Charlotte, N.C.-based DesignLine USA, will boost fuel efficiency by 40 percent relative to a comparable conventionally powered bus while cutting greenhouse-gas emissions by as much as 70 percent, DesignLine said in a statement.
 
The EcoSaver IV model acquired by Baltimore also can run strictly on lithium-ion battery power as much as 40% of the time and is about a third quieter than comparable vehicles, according to the manufacturer.

Baltimore, the 20th largest U.S. city, is joining a growing list of metro areas investing in hybrid buses made by companies like Daimler and DesignLine in an effort to cut both fuel costs and pollutants.

Daimler, the world's largest bus-maker, earlier this week in Austria presented its Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCell Hybrid city bus to Vienna authorities. Daimler said it plans to test about 30 of  the hydrogen fuel-cell buses throughout Europe this fall.

Last December, DesignLine, which also has operations in New Zealand, won a $50.4 million contract to supply MTA New York City Transit with 30 new heavy-duty hybrid-electric buses with an option to make 60 more. The company has also made buses for transit systems in Chicago; Charlotte, N.C., and Orlando, Fla.

Danny King, Contributor

John O'Dell:  is an AutoObserver Senior Editor. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.