2015-04-07 Item 2 - Attachment 1 - Pre feasibility Study of Electric Bus Routes

4.   Review of electric bus technologies
     4.1      Selection of electric bus suppliers and manufacturers
     To assess the feasibility of electric bus routes in the Noosa area (in order to provide
     sufficient evidence to justify a decision to progress the project further) a market research
     exercise was undertaken to understand the Australian and International electric bus market.
     The market research gathered information about vehicle general specifications, battery
     details and associated charging infrastructure, procurement parameters, training support,
     warranty and servicing details and finally costs.

     Components of an Electric Bus
     An electric bus uses electric motors and motor controllers in lieu of an internal combustion
     engine. A key component of the electric bus is the battery which is charged through a
     combination of an internal regenerative braking system (whereby some of the energy that
     would normally be lost is recovered by the braking system) and “topped up” using an
     external charging system on-route or at specific charging stations. These can be fast or slow
     charge in nature.

     Electric Bus Battery

     Technology is advancing quickly in the development of electric bus batteries with batteries
     becoming lighter and more efficient but is still considered to cost a significant proportion of
     the capital outlay of the bus. For example, Adelaide City Council’s deployment of “Tindo”
     required 11 Swiss made Zebra batteries (Sodium/Nickel Chloride technology) which weighed
     160 kg and ran up to 200 km on a single charge. More recent buses use lithium iron or in
     many cases lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO 4) batteries which offer a longer battery lifetime
     and an improved battery density providing a longer driving range. Electric buses also
     commonly have advance regeneration braking systems. Regenerative braking is an energy
     recovery mechanism which slows down a vehicle by converting its kinetic energy into
     another form, which can be used immediately or stored until needed. This contrasts with
     conventional braking systems, where the excess kinetic energy is converted to heat by
     friction in the brake linings and therefore wasted. Regenerative braking is ideal for hilly
     terrains such as Noosa to recharge the batteries as they are going down the declines. This
     also reduces brake wear and tear as the brake pads are used significantly less than a diesel
     bus and therefore requires significantly less maintenance than a normal system.
     Figure 12 8-Month Old Break Pads on a BYD Bus




     20 | GHD | Proposal for Noosa Council & TransLink Division - Planning Report