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Two Hybrids Join Fleet of Buses at IndyGo

January 24, 2005 by Jeff Shepard

IndyGo (Indianapolis, IN) announced that it has added two diesel-electric buses to its fleet, part of a larger effort by the transit agency to reduce smog, trim fuel costs and recast itself as more environmentally friendly. The buses, which run on a combination of diesel and electricity, are fast and quiet, use less fuel, and emit less pollution.

The bus is a Gillig low-floor model made by Gillig Corp. It is 40 ft long and seats 38 passengers. On the roof of the bus are its electric batteries, made by Remy International. When starting from a standstill, the hybrid’s computer draws more power from the batteries than from the diesel engine. The ISB02 5.9 L engine, made by Cummins Inc., provides much of the cruising power for the hybrid. The engine runs at 270 HP at its highest efficiency (at highway speeds) and at about 210 HP on city streets. Once the hybrid is cruising, the diesel engine starts to supply more of the hybrid’s power while the batteries provide less.

The new vehicles are priced from $500,000 each, or roughly $200,000 more than a regular diesel-only bus. They use more fuel than hybrid cars, which can go 30 mpg or more, but make up for that in part by carrying so many passengers. The new buses will begin service February 1, 2005.