Hybrid Electric Bus

The Instrument Design Development Centre of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, has developed a bus with no noise and no vehicular emission. The all-electric and hybrid-assist vehicle project was conceptualized and backed by the Union ministry of petroleum and natural gas through the oil Industry Development Board. The project is a step towards developing indigenous technology that can reduce dependence on petroleum for public transport.

The IIDC team led by project chief Prof. R. Arockiasamy of Eco-friendly Transportation Group, at UT Delhi, has developed an electric vehicle which is free of vibration, noise, heat and pollution. The team has developed two versions of the EV: all-electric and hybrid-assist bus, which has a top speed of 60km per hour.

The EV uses energy stored on board in batteries and is called 'Battery Electric Vehicle.' The vehicle has zero tail pipe exhaust emission and is popularly called 'Zero Emission Vehicle.' In addition to the battery source, energy is supplied from another source such as engine generator turbine and fuel cells. This vehicle is termed as Hybrid EV. The cost of running a Hybrid EV is just Rs2 per km.

Tata Motors donated the electric test vehicle 'Bus' comprising a specially designed electric motor manufactured by Crompton Greaves. The manufacture of a similar zero emission bus on the same line will cost about Rs 21 lakh compared to Rs 19 lakh for a compressed natural gas (CNG) driven bus.

According to Arockiasamy, a 'Mid' vehicle that is best suited to operate in these conditions can clock a distance of 70km to 100km in a day in one charge. If the vehicle is charged on a daily basis, it can run for at least 250 km. The Hybrid EV is equipped with battery plus onboard charge system, which can be recharged through CNG, diesel or IPG. It can thus be operated throughout the day. Moreover, the bus has a lifespan of 20-25 years. The minimum lifespan of a battery is about four to five years depending on the usage. The most important aspect is that fuel saved on the Hybrid EV is at least 30% compared to a conventional vehicle.