ST. ALBERT TRANSIT
2013 New
Flyer XE40 SR1723 Battery/ Electric
Currently, though the end of March 2015, St. Albert is testing
a New Flyer Xcelsior XE40 battery electric bus. This particular bus was built in
January 2013 as a prototype bus. The number it carries is a number used by New
Flyer but with St. Albert Transit, it is showing as 862 on
the Next Bus tracker. (As of March 18 862 is back and the XE40 isn't
showing on Next Bus). This bus entered service on Friday, March 6, 2015.
The setup on this bus only allows for around 4 hours of service on a charge,
compared to upwards of 10 hours claimed by BYD for their bus. As a result, the
runs the New Flyer is used on are a lot shorter than what the BYD operated on.
However, the New Flyer bus is also equipped for on street fast charging which
allows it to recharge while on route and could allow service all day. While this
is part of the testing in Winnipeg, St. Albert's bus is just recharged at the
garage. The New Flyer is also more or less a standard New Flyer bus, and also
features a diesel fuel heater for providing heat during the winter months. The
first BYD tested didn't have a heater that would be effective in a Canadian
winter, however, the second BYD's that were supposed to come to Edmonton and St.
Albert would be so equipped, however, those are delayed until next winter by the
sounds of it.
This bus is equipped with lithium ion batteries, and a Siemens drive which
converts DC current from the batteries to 3 phase AC for the traction motor. Due
to the amount of batteries and equipment on the roof of the XE40, the bus
produces a noticeable lean through corners!
Sources:
http://www.newflyer.com/index/electricbus
http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmonton/1285579/electric-bus-not-coming-to-edmonton-this-winter-city-officials/
http://www.stalbert.ca/city-hall/news/news-releases/newer-bus-fewer-fumes
http://www.stalbertgazette.com/article/20150307/SAG0804/303079981/1039
All retrieved March 15, 2015.
This page last updated March 15, 2015
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