BAE Systems and Cummins Collaborate to Reduce Idling for Hybrid Transit Buses
For the first time in North America, transit bus operators will be able to employ engine stop/start technology to shut off bus engines as passengers board and disembark, reducing air and noise pollution as well as fuel consumption. This advancement, the result of collaboration between BAE Systems and Cummins, is now available for all buses equipped with Cummins ISB6.7 Hybrid engines and BAE Systems’ HybriDrive Series-E propulsion systems.
“Working with Cummins to offer a stop/start mode for heavy-duty transit buses means we can now provide even more value to our North American hybrid customers,” said Steve Trichka, vice president and general manager of HybriDrive Solutions for BAE Systems. “The fuel economy and passenger experience benefits are unique in the industry.”
BAE Systems’ start/stop technology — also known as anti-idle mode — has been tested on buses with Red Rose Transit in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and Metro Minneapolis in Minnesota, and is slated for delivery to other customers later this year. Testing has shown that the stop/start mode reduces engine idling time by up to 40 percent, which helps increase fuel economy and create a quieter atmosphere for passengers at bus stops. In addition, accessories such as air conditioning, power steering, and air compressors remain operational during engine shut-off mode.
“We are seeing significant fuel economy benefits with the two pilot buses programmed with the new stop/start function,” said Dave Kilmer, executive director of Red Rose Transit and the Berks Area Regional Transit Authority. “In addition, our customers and drivers have told us these hybrid buses with stop/start are much quieter.”
The stop/start mode enables a bus to shut off the engine at bus stops, and then re-engage the engine upon acceleration. BAE Systems’ stop/start technology is available on 40-foot transit buses produced by New Flyer, Gillig, and Nova Bus that are equipped with Cummins ISB6.7 Hybrid engines and HybriDrive Series-E systems.
BAE Systems’ HybriDrive Series propulsion system powers 4,200 buses worldwide today and is the most successful hybrid-electric series system in operation. Buses equipped with the HybriDrive system transport more than 693 million passengers, prevent more than 100,000 tons of CO2 emissions, and save more than 9 million gallons of diesel fuel annually.
The development and production of these hybrid propulsion systems will be conducted at BAE Systems’ Endicott, New York facility.
