Quote:
|
Originally Posted by martinjlm
. . .
It's easy to dismiss the GM technology by saying "a couple of custom ordered buses" and many people will walk away believing you, because after all this is the internet and anybody can toss out any comment and have it later quoted as fact. Fact is, we're talking about at least a couple hundred not so custom buses and the number continues to grow.
. . .
|
My appologies. I should not have tried to quanity the number of buses:
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by electricdrive.org
DETROIT - A hybrid bus consortium consisting of 11 transit agencies in California, Nevada and New Mexico has awarded a contract to Gillig Corp. for the purchase of up to 157 diesel-electric hybrid buses powered by General Motors' advanced hybrid propulsion system. The purchase contract is the second largest since GM's hybrid diesel-electric system debuted in 2003 and was spearheaded by the San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) in California. San Joaquin RTD formed the consortium with other transit agencies to boost purchasing power and reduce per-vehicle costs through mass ordering. San Joaquin RTD plans on buying 50 hybrid buses, while the remaining 107 buses will be available for other consortium members.
. . .
Currently, there are nearly 380 GM hybrid-equipped buses operating in 29 cities in the U.S. and Canada. For 2006, GM starts the year with an additional 203 hybrid-powered buses scheduled for delivery to six U.S. cities. . . .
|
I also Googled up a number of foreign announcements of GM hybrid buses. Since 2003, it looks to be about 600 hybrid buses.
What would be especially interesting if these hybrid-drive systems started showing up in urban delivery trucks. It might even make an interested variation of the Stryker if GM and General Dynamics could collaborate.
Bob Wilson