Arotech Corp. (New York) announced that its all-electric bus powered by the company's electric fuel, zinc-air, fuel cell technology has demonstrated a record 145-mile range under rigorous urban conditions. In a test conducted last week, a new pack of ultracapacitors was installed on the bus, together with improved energy management systems, increasing the system's efficiency. Conducted under the same conditions of an earlier test, the improvements increased the bus's range from 127 to 145 miles, a 14% increase from July 2002 testing and a 43% improvement from the same test in 2001.
The drive was the last performance test drive planned under phase III of the Zinc-Air All-Electric Transit Bus program with the Federal Transit Administration. As in previous drives, the test drive was conducted on the former Griffith Air Force base near Rome, NY, with the bus traveling under typical city bus driving conditions, including stop and go, acceleration and constant speed. The company believes the 145 miles driven to be a world record. As a measure of comparison, the average normal full day cycle for New York City buses is less than 90 miles.
The Electric Fuel All-Electric Transit Bus is designed to operate as a full-size, zero-emission, 40ft bus having a 20-ton gross vehicle weight, including passengers, and operating all standard bus features, including air conditioning.
