04 August 2010

Battery powered Solo judged a success in Stratford

Trials in Stratford-upon-Avon of the UK’s first full-size battery-powered bus, the Optare Solo EV, have convinced operator Johnsons Coach & Bus Travel that all-electric vehicles could have a place in its fleet.

The trials, which concluded on 2nd August, compared the operation of a Solo EV on the Stratford Park & Ride service for one week with that of a conventional diesel-powered Solo. Both vehicles were fitted with data loggers to gather a range of information that will enable researchers at Aston University to make a direct comparison between the two propulsion systems.

Coventry University researchers also undertook a series of studies to gather the reactions and comments of passengers, drivers, other road users, local residents and business people to the zero emissions electric Solo.

“Although much data has still to be analysed and we did identify some infrastructure issues that will need addressing, our initial findings show a convincing case for the EV on this particular type of service,” says John Johnson, managing director of the bus company.

“The Solo EV performed exceptionally well and we were satisfied and confident that electric buses can be put to use in our fleet,” he added. “Drivers commented that they enjoyed the smooth drive, fast acceleration and gentle progressive braking. Passengers noticed that it was a more relaxed experience aboard the electric bus, with less vibration, a quieter environment and a smoother journey.”

Victoria Johnson, who managed the project, said that the main learning points centred on charging the electric bus, specifically looking at two perspectives; infrastructure and scheduling.

“The trial necessarily required some temporary arrangements for re-charging the batteries,” she said. “And we had to build into the schedule some time for topping-up the charge during the day, which disrupted the scheduling. However, neither of these issues are insurmountable when it comes to the use of electric vehicles on a permanent basis, they just have to be factored in.

“During the trials the Solo EV covered around 65 miles a day,” said Victoria. ”This was sufficient to meet the needs of the P&R service with up to 13 round trips a day and yet the batteries still had around 20% capacity in them. Permanent charging arrangements, particularly the ability to charge during layovers at the P&R site, would enable that mileage to be increased significantly.

“Early indications are that fuel costs are considerably lower for the Solo EV compared to its diesel equivalent, although the figures have still to be validated. Electricity used in overnight charging cost £7.30, whereas the cost of diesel for a bus covering the same 65 mile duty cycle is estimated at around five times that figure at over £36.”

Glenn Saint, commercial director of Optare, said that whilst this trial clearly showed a huge potential for battery powered buses it was accepted that their success depended very much on the operating conditions. “In this case the duty cycle, though intense, involved short distances in relatively flat terrain and this is an ideal situation for electric powered vehicles,” he said.

“The environmental benefits of zero emissions, exceptionally low noise and a smoother ride were also evidently appreciated by passengers, drivers and pedestrians. These aspects are particularly important in towns like Stratford, which contain many buildings of historic importance and whose narrow streets are very crowded, especially in the tourist season.”