Evaluation of the efficiency of hybrid drive applications in urban transport system on the example of a medium size city

Abstract

Unconventional drive systems of the urban buses become more and more popular. The reason is clear: reduction of the harmful emissions as well as the fuel consumption reduction. Environmental aspects are becoming of the great importance. Local governments of large cities are "pushing" conventional buses away from city centres, trying to substitute them by the other more environmentally friendly urban vehicles. The goal of the contribution is to present a comparison of the selected types of the urban buses equipped with alternative drive systems under conditions of medium size city. The first part of the paper presents the methodology and construction of urban bus driving cycles prepared for Kielce city (Poland). The next part shows fuel economy and energy consumption obtained from simulation of urban buses powered by conventional diesel engine and hybrid electric drive under the developed driving cycles. The last part presents results of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) calculations estimated for selected urban buses.