Rolling hybrid
by Anna Butler
anna@thecharlotteweekly.com

CMS welcomes its first hybrid bus to join existing transportation fleet.

A revolutionary hybrid bus will become a part of the CMS fleet in the 2007-08 school year. It is designed to double the current fuel efficiency of a regular school bus and reduce emissions by up to 90 percent. CMS is one of the nation’s first school districts to operate the hybrid bus, built by the IC Corporation of Indiana.

Superintendent Peter Gorman feels the addition is vital to a more green-friendly future. “An environmentally cleaner, more efficient trip to and from school is a tremendous benefit for our students and our community,” said Gorman.

The breakthrough bus got its wheels in motion through a nationwide initiative called the Plug-In Hybrid Electric School Bus Project. It’s steered by Raleigh-based Advanced Energy, which helps utility customers increase energy-investment returns. The project is one step Advanced Energy – along with Duke Energy and Dominion North Carolina Power – is taking to improve the region’s air quality.

The road to Plug-in Hybrid’s success was paved by the merger of two powerhouses: The IC Corporation and Enova Systems. Currently IC is the nation’s largest school bus manufacturer, and Enova continues to provide expertise in the advancing hybrid movement. The bus of the future looks no different from the gas guzzlers of the present, but innovative technology powers it, altering fuel economy by about 70-100 percent. Additionally, these buses are outfitted with a proprietary GPS system called AWARE Vehicle Intelligence, which allows school officials to track, locate and monitor performance through an Internet site.

The concept for this type of hybrid hinges on the Enova Charge-Depleting System, or plug-in. Although the bus is not diesel-free, most of its power is rooted in the hybrid-electric system with the initial use of a V8 diesel engine. After an overnight charge, energy is released gradually over a drive cycle.

“IC Corporation’s hybrid school bus revolutionizes the school bus industry,” said Michael Cancellier, vice president and general manager of IC Corporation. “Improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions helps school districts and the environment.”

Advanced Energy will supply 19 buses to the country’s school districts this year.