[M II A II R II K]

Bombardier to test electric buses that charge wirelessly


Feb 18, 2013

Read More: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2013/02/18/technology-bombardier-electric-buses.html


Bombardier's electric transit technology will be tested next winter on buses in Montreal, followed in early 2014 on a route in the German city of Mannheim. The transportation giant's Primove technology is designed to allow buses to be charged by underground induction stations when they stop to let passengers hop on and off. Bombardier will test the technology in Canada's harsh winter conditions at a special track on Ile-Ste-Helene, the home of Expo 67, in partnership with Hydro-Quebec and an undisclosed bus manufacturer.

- Two buses outfitted with special batteries will get charged by underground induction energy transfer stations each time they stop along the route. Bombardier spokesman Marc Laforge said the technology could be attractive for governments looking to electrifying transit systems without installing overhead wires. He said the Primove technology, in development for about five years, needs to be tested before it is sold commercially to transit systems. Bombardier is the world's largest manufacturer of railway systems. Primove could also be used on its tramway and light rail units, and theoretically for cars.

.....

 

[Monarch Butterfly]

Because of the low subsidizes that the TTC gets, Primove would be considered "gravy" that us peasants don't need.

 

[innsertnamehere]

But would the couple of seconds of charging that the busses would receive when driving over the spots be enough to keep the busses charged?

 

[drum118]

Let see;

Bombardier a Quebec Company, Hydro-Quebec a Quebec Company, Testing in Montreal,.......................................Ah!! Nova Bus will be the bus used for testing since its a Quebec Company.

TTC needs to sit on the sideline until this is a proven technology, considering the issue they have with Bombardier TR, LRT as well Orion VII.

 

[M II A II R II K]

What would the real advantage of this be on a system wide scale though be? To give up gasoline and natural power costs in exchange for this for power emitters at every stop in the city, or maybe power up only at the terminuses.

 

[ssiguy2]

Exact same as the Primove LRT but begs the question...............when did Bombardier get into the bus business? I never knew Bombardier built buses.

 

[TheTigerMaster]

Exact same as the Primove LRT but begs the question...............when did Bombardier get into the bus business? I never knew Bombardier built buses.

Money, ssiguy2. It's all about the money.

 

[ssiguy2]

Well I didn't think they were doing it out of altruism. My point was that I don't recall Bombardier ever building buses before and this would be a major turn of events for the company. This is especially true of a rail company that, like all rail companies, stresses the superiority of rails over buses as transport vehicles and urban development.

 

[TOareaFan]

Well I didn't think they were doing it out of altruism. My point was that I don't recall Bombardier ever building buses before and this would be a major turn of events for the company. This is especially true of a rail company that, like all rail companies, stresses the superiority of rails over buses as transport vehicles and urban development.

Firstly, I don't think the original post says they are going to build their own buses....quite the opposite, it says " in partnership with Hydro-Quebec and an undisclosed bus manufacturer.".....that said, if they did go into the bus manufacturing business is that any different than a rail company that builds high speed rail as efficient inter-city transportation also building and selling regional airplanes that fill the same need? They are an integrated transportation company....not just a rail company....but, as noted, they don't seem to joining the bus building business.

 

[whatever]

I just saw an article about something similar in South Korea, except the chargers are run continuously along the ROW