Bluebird makes its 400 th Electric School bus.

[Viajeros]

I think it’s kind of interesting watching this segment developing electric busses. These are obviously short range affairs 190 kilometers or so. And obviously not that big of a battery as they mention level 2 AC charging of 8 hours overnight. My guess is they are probably using an 80 amp EVSE which would suggest about a 120 to 140 KWH pack. Some guessing here on my part. Still. Triple or quadruple the pack size and you have the makings of a Motorhome. I don’t the demand is there yet but still. Maybe down the road. Kinda interesting to follow the technology
Heres the article. Enjoy.

Blue Bird Delivers Its 400th Electric School Bus

 

[NY_Dutch]

The article's graphic shows a 155 KWH battery pack with an up to 120 mile range and a 3 hour fast charge.

 

[Oldgator73]

City buses in Dover, DE are electric. No tailpipe.

 

[Viajeros]

The article's graphic shows a 155 KWH battery pack with an up to 120 mile range and a 3 hour fast charge.

I read that article. Interesting. Seems like a very good application for electric.

 

[Deano2002]

i will be done motorhoming when I'm demanded to go electric, sitting in a traffic jam in 95 degree weather with the ac's on waiting for the batteries to run out. LOL

 

[Mountain high]

"Triple or quadruple the pack size and you have the makings of a Motorhome."

No thanks. A motorhome loaded up with quadruple pack size batteries I wouldn't want it anywhere near a RV resort at night.

Advanced Warning of Electric School Bus Fires Key to Prompt Evacuation

Lithium-ion batteries have earned a fair share of notoriety of late, even though it is the technology of choice among manufacturers of EVs, including battery electric school buses (BESBs). Lithium-ion batteries, a general term for batteries classified by their cathode chemistry, have been linked...

stnonline.com

"Lithium-ion batteries...tendency to spontaneously combust if damaged...burn hotter than other fires, defy attempts to extinguish it with water due to stranded energy in damaged batteries, and reignite after a fire has been extinguished because stranded energy morphs into runaway energy."

"the minutes of advanced warning are critical for the driver to get to a safe place and evacuate all passengers off the bus. Lithium-ion batteries are their own energy source burning from the inside out and there is no known fire suppression agent that will completely extinguish these fires,”

 

[Arch Hoagland]

The city of Fresno CA just got 11 all electric buses. So far they only have one charger stall.

 

[Isaac-1]

I can see school buses being a near ideal service for electric vehicles, max of about 5 hours of service per day, 2 hours in the morning, 2 in the afternoon with a 6+ hour break between going on their mostly stop and go low speed routes. Sure their are exceptions, but even in rural areas few school bus routes are over 35 miles long, and that includes the empty leg to and from the bus barn (A quick google search shows the average school bus route is about 31-32 miles long, and 99% are less than 75 miles long)

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

The climate control equipment power draw is a small percentage of what the traction motor(s) draw. "Stuck in traffic" you can sit/crawl for quite a long time. I think with a lot of EV's these days you can activate the climate control prior to operating the vehicle by remote or schedule so that it's warm/cool by the time you get in. It's not as big an impact to range as many expect.

The city of Albuquerque engaged in a boondoggle rapid transit project a few years ago chasing federal grant money, tearing up the central corridor and many businesses went under as a result of disrupted traffic. Part of the schtick was these dedicated lanes would have only electric buses on them. They got a few and for months they went back and forth riderless, for "training". It was by any definition a PR disaster. The buses crapped out and had to be towed, some had build issues and never left the bus yard. A less than receptive public ignored the lane restrictions and the bus stops were vandalized. What was surprising is the bus builder was I think at the time the largest supplier in the world, you'd think their products would've been better engineered or built. So at the end of the day the e-buses went back to their maker, some kind of clean diesel or natural gas units run the route and today even with no fares the only riders are the homeless and drug dealers. For what the city and feds put into this not counting dozens of shuttered businesses it would be cheaper to offer the public free uber rides. Progress I guess. Technically not the fault of electric buses but I think exemplifies the artificial attraction to what they really are.

Albuquerque’s $133-million electric bus system is going nowhere fast
Mayor pulls the plug on electric bus deal

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Mountain high]

Maybe the Mayor can pull all the plugs on Albuquerque.

We enjoyed the Mills Canyon Campground annually until a Rattlesnake bit one our dogs approximately 5 times while we we're standing in the Canadian River to kayak. Veterinarian in Trinidad saved her life. We no longer camp in New Mexico not because of this, but due to we don't feel safe boondocking in the very remote locations.

Electric vehicles just can't make it out there and back. It's hard enough getting food and fuel as it is. They're fine for near the big cities.

A recent review of Mills Canyon, New Mexico..."This place is beautiful, but at night!!!! It is like “deliverance” with the locals! I know they have issues with escaped inmates hiding out down there!"

New Mexico ranked as worst state to live in U.S.

(The Center Square) – New Mexico ranked as the worst state to live in out of all 50 states in an analysis by the consumer finance website Wallethub.

www.thecentersquare.com

 

[Lou Schneider]

The city of Albuquerque engaged in a boondoggle rapid transit project a few years ago chasing federal grant money, tearing up the central corridor and many businesses went under as a result of disrupted traffic. Part of the schtick was these dedicated lanes would have only electric buses on them. They got a few and for months they went back and forth riderless, for "training". It was by any definition a PR disaster. The buses crapped out and had to be towed, some had build issues and never left the bus yard. A less than receptive public ignored the lane restrictions and the bus stops were vandalized. What was surprising is the bus builder was I think at the time the largest supplier in the world, you'd think their products would've been better engineered or built. So at the end of the day the e-buses went back to their maker, some kind of clean diesel or natural gas units run the route and today even with no fares the only riders are the homeless and drug dealers. For what the city and feds put into this not counting dozens of shuttered businesses it would be cheaper to offer the public free uber rides. Progress I guess. Technically not the fault of electric buses but I think exemplifies the artificial attraction to what they really are.

Albuquerque’s $133-million electric bus system is going nowhere fast
Mayor pulls the plug on electric bus deal

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

The RV connection is BYD, the Chinese company that made Albuquerque's buses, bought the Rexhall RV factory in Lancaster, CA several years ago to assemble their buses and establish a USA presence to qualify for the federal grants. They retained much of the Rexhall workforce including company founder Bill Rex as their plant manager.

The rest of Rexhall re-grouped at their smaller customer service facility across town, building a handful of RVs there before folding. The service facility was next to Hwy 14, I passed by it on my way to our Mojave transmitter and could watch the RVs slowly take shape in their service bays. Rexhall made high quality Class A motorhomes, apparently that tech doesn't directly translate to electric buses.

 

[CityGuy]

"Triple or quadruple the pack size and you have the makings of a Motorhome."

No thanks. A motorhome loaded up with quadruple pack size batteries I wouldn't want it anywhere near a RV resort at night.

Advanced Warning of Electric School Bus Fires Key to Prompt Evacuation

Lithium-ion batteries have earned a fair share of notoriety of late, even though it is the technology of choice among manufacturers of EVs, including battery electric school buses (BESBs). Lithium-ion batteries, a general term for batteries classified by their cathode chemistry, have been linked...

stnonline.com

"Lithium-ion batteries...tendency to spontaneously combust if damaged...burn hotter than other fires, defy attempts to extinguish it with water due to stranded energy in damaged batteries, and reignite after a fire has been extinguished because stranded energy morphs into runaway energy."

"the minutes of advanced warning are critical for the driver to get to a safe place and evacuate all passengers off the bus. Lithium-ion batteries are their own energy source burning from the inside out and there is no known fire suppression agent that will completely extinguish these fires,”

Yes -- and there's been at least one internet video of a Bluebird EV school bus burning. I'd rather trust my great-grandchild, when he or she comes, to less incendiary transportation.

 

[PJ Stough]

Yes -- and there's been at least one internet video of a Bluebird EV school bus burning. I'd rather trust my great-grandchild, when he or she comes, to less incendiary transportation.

You mean less incendiary than this? Iowa student and driver die in school bus fire

 

[CityGuy]

You mean less incendiary than this? Iowa student and driver die in school bus fire

Apparently a conventionally-fueled bus, and a tragedy. A national average of a bus fire a day surprised me; but when one considers how many school buses run, the percentage is small. Most importantly, news reports convince me that the risk of sudden, no-warning fires in EVs is more prevalent than in gas and diesel vehicles. Even cell phones' lithium-ion batters explode without warning. I think the application is running ahead of development here. Two or three seconds to get out of a car; perhaps as much as 30 to clear a full school bus.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Living is dangerous to your health.

 

[CityGuy]

Maybe the Mayor can pull all the plugs on Albuquerque.

We enjoyed the Mills Canyon Campground annually until a Rattlesnake bit one our dogs approximately 5 times while we we're standing in the Canadian River to kayak. Veterinarian in Trinidad saved her life. We no longer camp in New Mexico not because of this, but due to we don't feel safe boondocking in the very remote locations.

Electric vehicles just can't make it out there and back. It's hard enough getting food and fuel as it is. They're fine for near the big cities.

A recent review of Mills Canyon, New Mexico..."This place is beautiful, but at night!!!! It is like “deliverance” with the locals! I know they have issues with escaped inmates hiding out down there!"

New Mexico ranked as worst state to live in U.S.

(The Center Square) – New Mexico ranked as the worst state to live in out of all 50 states in an analysis by the consumer finance website Wallethub.

www.thecentersquare.com

There is also the consideration of weight. My 36-foot DP weights 33,000 lbs. I've already had sneak across a bridge or two with a lower weight limit. How much weight would "sufficient" EV batteries add to my RV's weight?

 

[Reinigm]

Anyone paying any attention to Elon's proposal for nitrogen powered vehicles? Now, that looks promising. Especially if it can be converted over to larger vehicles.

 

[PJ Stough]

Anyone paying any attention to Elon's proposal for nitrogen powered vehicles? Now, that looks promising. Especially if it can be converted over to larger vehicles.

I believe you mean hydrogen.

 

[Mountain high]

There is also the consideration of weight. My 36-foot DP weights 33,000 lbs. I've already had sneak across a bridge or two with a lower weight limit. How much weight would "sufficient" EV batteries add to my RV's weight?

For electric tractor trailer rigs the Federal government is allowing for 1 ton beyond the current 80,000 limit due to the heavier weight, whatever that is. Removing the load capacity signs on the bridges should fix any over weight issues.

The Tesla Semi is allowed to be heavier than other trucks. Here's why

The Tesla Semi falls into a new category of alternative power Class 8 semis that are allowed to weigh 2,000 pounds more than other trucks to accommodate batteries.

www.foxnews.com

 

[CityGuy]

For electric tractor trailer rigs the Federal government is allowing for 1 ton beyond the current 80,000 limit due to the heavier weight, whatever that is. Removing the load capacity signs on the bridges should fix any over weight issues.

The Tesla Semi is allowed to be heavier than other trucks. Here's why

The Tesla Semi falls into a new category of alternative power Class 8 semis that are allowed to weigh 2,000 pounds more than other trucks to accommodate batteries.

www.foxnews.com

"Removing the load capacity signs on the bridges should fix any over weight issues"
That sounds reasonable to me.