Electric Fuel Corp. (New York) announced that its all-electric bus, powered by the company's zinc-air fuel cell technology, demonstrated a record 127-mile range under rigorous urban conditions. Conducted under the same conditions of an earlier test, improvements in the main zinc-air fuel cell, combined with the addition of ultracapacitors, increased the range by 25 percent from 101 to 127 miles.
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 127 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 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.
