All aboard the electric bus . . . Please hold tight for 15 minutes while we recharge

The Times
April 10, 2009

Ben Webster, Transport Correspondent

Passengers will have to be patient on a new electric bus because drivers may have to stop to recharge the batteries.
The first bus to run entirely on electricity since the trolleybus era was demonstrated to potential operators in London yesterday.
It is so quiet that the manufacturer is adding speakers to broadcast an artificial hum to stop pedestrians from stepping out in front of it.
Made in Leeds, the buses are likely to operate in several cities, including London and Birmingham, and will also ferry passengers between airport car parks and terminals. They emit no air pollution but can travel only 60 miles before the twin batteries need recharging. Optare, the manufacturer, is advising local authorities that drivers may need to stop en route for 15 minutes for a short recharge at high-current charging points at the roadside.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, announced plans this week to install 25,000 charging points by 2015 to service up to 100,000 electric vehicles. A 15-minute charge would allow the bus to travel seven miles, usually enough to complete a route and return to the depot for a full recharge.
Mark Houlton, Optare’s engineering director, said: “There could be a small inconvenience to passengers if the batteries needed recharging, but this would be outweighed by the significant environmental benefits of running on electricity.”
He said that operators would try to ensure that the batteries were fully charged at the start of each day and design timetables to allow for charging.
Unlike previous large electric vehicles that used bulky lead-acid batteries, the buses use compact lithium-ion batteries, which are half the weight and require minimal maintenance.
The electric buses cost about £160,000, compared with £100,000 for a similar-sized diesel bus. However, Optare claims that operators will break even within eight years because the operating costs are £8,000 a year cheaper. The electricity costs £1 for every ten miles, compared with £2 to travel the same distance on diesel.
Every time the electric bus brakes, it captures the energy and feeds it back into the batteries. It accelerates faster but more smoothly than a diesel equivalent, meaning that the ride should be more comfortable for passengers. The top speed is 56mph (90kmh).
Mr Houlton said that several operators were concerned about the lack of engine noise. The company is offering a variety of artificial noises, which could be broadcast continuously.
Trolleybuses entered public service in Britain in 1911 and operated in 50 towns and cities by the 1950s. The last ones were withdrawn from service in Bradford in 1972.