NYCT Operating Experience with Hybrid Buses

1
NYCT Operating Experience with Hybrid Buses
John P. Walsh Chief Maintenance Officer MTA New
York City Transit Department of Buses November
30, 2004
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Outline

• Overview of NYCT Bus Operations
• Hybrid Electric Bus Technology
• NYCT Hybrid Bus Projects
• Lessons Learned with Hybrids
• Future Plans

3
NYCT Bus Operations

• Annual Bus Customers 762,190,226
• Average Weekday Ridership 2,452,554
• Total Buses in Fleet
  4,500
• of Bus Routes 218
• of Bus Stops 12,355
• Of Total Employees 14,388
• Annual Mileage (2003) 121,255,903
• Gallons of Fuel Consumed (2003)
• Diesel 44,129,685
• CNG 3,695,157

4
NYCT Bus Fleet
Two-stroke engines to be retired from DOB fleet
by end of 2004.
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The Clean Fuel Solution - Hybrid Electric

• Hybrid Electric buses combine a diesel engine and
  electric drive components
• Improved performance
• Significant emissions reduction
• Increased fuel economy
• Smooth and quiet operation
• Avoids the infrastructure costs of CNG - no
  special fuel handling is required

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BAE/Orion VII Hybrid System
Lead-Acid Batteries
Lead Acid Battery Packs
Traction Motor
Power Electronics
Generator
Electric Traction Motor
Diesel Engine
Generator
Power Electronics (PCS)
Diesel Engine
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NYCT Hybrid Bus Programs

• Successful prototype in 1996 (Orion/GE)
• Pilot fleet of 10 hybrid buses began operating in
  revenue service in 1998.
• First production order of 125 delivered in 2004.
• Second production order of 200 to be delivered in
  2005.

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Hybrid Revenue Service Experience

• Hybrid buses in service since Sept. 1998
• Approx. 700,000 revenue miles on pilot fleet to
  date
• Approx. 800,000 revenue miles on new production
  fleet to date.
• Drivers and customers like the buses
• Brake life approximately doubled
• Very positive - for a brand new technology, have
  exceeded expectations

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Orion VII/BAE New Production Hybrid Buses - In
Service Performance

• First of 125 into service in February, 2004
• 100 buses in service as of November at two depot
  locations with different duty cycles.
• Used interchangeably with standard buses
• No major propulsion system problems to date
• Emissions significantly better than other buses
  
• NOx less than half that for a clean diesel or
  CNG bus
• CO less than one fourth that for a clean dlesel
  and roughly one tenth that for a CNG bus.

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Orion VII/BAE New Production Hybrid Buses - In
Service Performance

• The baseline fuel consumption is 2.3 MPG for
  40-foot standard diesel buses
• The hybrid buses have demonstrated the following
  fuel consumption to date
• Clara Hale Depot 3.7 MPG
• Queens Village Depot 3.4 MPG
• The hybrid bus fuel consumption is reduced
  approx. 40 compared to the standard diesel buses
  they replace. This equates to nearly 5000
  gallons of diesel fuel saved per year for each
  bus.

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Orion VII Hybrid Bus
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Hybrid Bus Revenue Miles
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Hybrid Bus Fuel Economy (MPG)
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Hybrid Bus Reliability (MDBF)
2500
2000
1750
1500
1250
1000
750
500
250
00
00
00
00
00
00
01
01
01
01
01
01
02
02
02
02
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Hybrid Bus Availability
of Hybrid Fleet Availability
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Jun-99
Sep-99
Dec-99
Mar-00
Jun-00
Sep-00
Dec-00
Mar-01
Jun-01
Sep-01
Dec-01
Mar-02
Jun-02
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Hybrid Emissions Results
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Exhaust Pressure - DPF Inlet (PSI)
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Engine Load
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Orion VI Lead Acid Battery Life

• For the 36 months of testing ending in February
  of 2004
• 17,000,000 Battery-miles, 5 replaced
• Replaced batteries did not appear to be end-of-
  life failures
• Two buses with Optima batteries in service for
  40months with no failures
• Life goal of 3 years appears to be potentially
  achievable but not realized yet
• Changes to software in Orion VII should reduce
  battery replacements

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Battery Type Life/Cost Comparison
Lead-Acid Technology is still the cost winner
for now
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Life Cycle Costs - Hybrid vs. Standard
Propulsion in Transit Duty Cycle

• Current differential in acquisition costs make
  justification of HEVs difficult
• Current range differential is 125- 200 K per bus
• Series HEV in NYCT high density duty cycle
  achieves gt 35 better fuel economy than
  standard propulsion system
• Average bus 32k/m/yr uses 13,000/gal/yr diesel
  fuel _at_2.00/gal annual fuel cost 26K
• HEV will use 8,800 gal/yr _at_ 2.00/gal annual fuel
  cost 17,600 - differential of 8,400/ yr
• Over 12-year life minimum differential 100K
• Delta will increase as cost of fuel increases _at_ a
  half life assumption of 3.00/gal the
  differential exceeds 125K

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Life Cycle Costs - Hybrid vs. Standard
Propulsion in Transit Duty Cycle
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Lessons Learned - Operational

• Bus operators and passengers like hybrids
• Quiet, smooth operation
• excellent acceleration/smooth braking
• feels like a standard bus
• little or no operator training required
• Able to be used on all NYCT routes
• Bus does not roll back on hills
• More advanced troubleshooting procedures and
  tools required

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Hybrid Bus - Future Challenges

• Revise current EPA heavy duty certification
  protocol to allow for system evaluation.
  Tailpipe emissions vs. engine dyno results.
• Chassis dyno testing is what is used for cars and
  light duty trucks.
• Allows for evaluation of total system
  performance.
• Much better representation of actual in-service
  performance of vehicle.
• Measures the overall effects of other propulsion
  system components.

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Hybrid Buses - Future Challenges

• Energy Storage - encourage additional
  development, testing, and deployment of other
  energy storage systems
• Advanced batteries
• Lead Acid
• NiMH
• Sodium
• Other
• Ultra Capacitors
• Power from grid
• Solid fuels for fuel cells

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Hybrid Buses - Future Challenges

• Component Optimization - HEV allows for the use
  of other electrically driven system components.
• Electric components have inherent advantges
• Remote mounting - better packaging
• More efficient
• High reliability index
• Reduced noise signature

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Hybrid Buses - Future Challenges

• Opportunities for Electrically Driven
  Accessories
• Short term
• Compressors, air and HVAC
• Steering
• Cooling system
• Long Term
• Wheel motors
• ZPE operation
• Fuel cell integration

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Additional Information

• Speaker Contact
• John P. Walsh, Chief Maintenance Officer
• MTA New York City Transit
• [phone] jowalsh_at_nyct.com
• Hybrid/CNG/Diesel Emissions Report
• www.navc.org/emissionsreport.html
• NREL Reports
• www.afdc.doe.gov/resources.html
• reports 6369 and 6383