Today in TechElectric school bus will make field trips greener than ever before
Electric vehicles are slowly beginning to populate the city streets and highways of the world in greater and greater numbers. Most are pint-sized people movers designed to get you to work and back without the hassle — and environmental impact — of stopping for a fill-up. The latest vehicle by bus maker Trans Tech is anything but tiny, but it's just as green as any zero-emission vehicle on the road.
It's called the eTrans, and its creators hope it will replace the gas-guzzling behemoths we normally see populating school parking lots. From the outside, you might not suspect that the eTrans is an all-electric vehicle, as it looks similar to most standard school buses we see today. But under its familiar hood lies a pair of 278-volt lithium ion batteries that can power its 120kW motor for up to 130 miles on a single charge.
The giant green machines are able to reach speeds of up to 60mph — more than enough for most school bus routes — and take 10 hours to recharge. The eTrans will be able to take advantage of off-peak electricity times as well, since the vast majority will be used during the day and recharged overnight. A pilot program for the new electric buses will begin in early 2012, with full-scale production expected to commence later that year.
[via Autoblog Green]
This article originally appeared on Tecca
More from Tecca:
