Commercial Hybrid Electric Technology

[mfc2257 464]

I think the use of hybrid electric busses is great. Not because I think there is any weight behind all the crybaby global warming complaints that Al Gore and crew are shooting around (the earth heats and cools in cycles over hundredes & thousands of years) but because of all the obvious benefits to practicality.

Less moving parts (no transmission), smoother ride (no annoying shifts from the bus driver who loves to mash on the throttle then lift all the way off), smaller diesel engines (a 5.9L was quoted which sounds like the Cummins powerplant that is offered in Ram's and light commercial applications versus a huge 60 series or M11 etc.) less fuel costs, less soot to cover the winshield of my car when following etc....

I think there are other places where this can be implemented sooner than later... Garbage trucks make a perfect fit for this. They are on the road every day making tons of stops where regenerative braking will benefit and their automatic transmissions take a massive beating (again... garbage truck chauffers love to jam on the throttle, run 1st gear to redline, lift off just in time to have the tranny shift, then pounce on the brakes to make another stop.)

[x635 4,066]

I agree......I too am excited about the promise of the technology. I was very impressed with the operation of the buses yesterday, and hope to see this technology applied in the multitude of other vehicles where it fits.

From an enviromental persepective, I do think that finding ways to reduce our oil/fuel consumption and lower emissions does and will benefit us and the people who populate this world in the future, not to mention the financial savings and lessening the dependence on foregin products for our energy.