Electric School bus to be introduced here | Environment

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - Trans Tech Bus announced Tuesday that the company will unveil its eTrans electric school bus at the National Association of Pupil Transporters’ annual conference and trade show in Cincinnati, Ohio at the Duke Energy Convention Center on October 23, 2011.

“This is an exciting time for Trans Tech Bus as we officially enter the electric vehicle market with our eTrans product,” said Dan Daniels, President of Trans Tech Bus. “The combination of our innovative school bus conversions and Smith Electric Vehicles’ world-leading all electric Newton chassis will ensure we are well positioned at the top of the electric school bus market.”

Branded the eTrans, Trans Tech Bus’s first electric school bus will have an aerodynamic design, 42 passenger capacity, and 120kw induction motor allowing it to reach speeds of up to 50 mph. The eTrans will have a trip range of approximately 100 to 130 miles per charge from its lithium-ion batteries depending on load and driving conditions. The bus will take 6 to 8 hours to recharge with the ability to recharge virtually anywhere with its onboard recharging system. The eTrans will have a small auxiliary power unit fueled by compressed natural gas or propane that will power the school bus’s heat and air conditioning systems.

The Smith Electric Vehicles Newton chassis is very energy efficient with electricity costs that are approximately 80 percent less than a comparable diesel vehicle. Trans Tech Bus is working with industry stakeholders to ensure that the eTrans is priced competitively with conventional school buses to ensure its customers will be able to realize significant reductions in long-term operational and maintenance costs.

“The eTrans will be ideal for short, defined, repetitive routes,” said Daniels. “An electric school bus with zero emissions generated from its chassis is great for our children and the environment. In addition, given that most school buses operate during the day, school districts and bus contractors will be able to take advantage of lower off-peak electricity rates by recharging their fleets at night when demand is at its lowest.”

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