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overstory | scania hybrid
MULTIPLECHOICE
In the push for workable and pragmatic electro-mobility options in the bus world, manufacturers globally have had to assess bespoke product portfolios for various international markets. In Australia, at least – and perhaps more so after 2020’s insanity – is hybrid tech best placed to fi nd its feet? Scania thinks so…
It’s not new news that we at ABC have constantly highlighted and rued the sorrowful plight of the uber-advanced Euro 6 commercial diesel engine, if all the pundits promoting the EV revolution are to be believed - given the forced inevitability of such a transition. And to the layman such a demise would very much seem to be the case.
Yet, while global manufacturing and sales of new fully diesel buses have reportedly plummeted, that in no way reflects any reduction of interest in the tech. Well, the engine part at least. That is, all the R&D from so many bus-makers over years into the latest, ‘cleanest’ iteration of such a powerplant would be such a shame to waste. And thankfully, even as 2030 approaches, that doesn’t necessarily need to be the case. That’s where hybrid tech comes in.
A full EV it is not – but that is just the point. With the world moving so fast in terms of battery technology (cell development trial and error, way before anything is available ‘off the shelf’) – and any perceivably associated costs involved - a bus using both advanced diesel tech and battery tech to propel a bus efficiently, effectively and as cost friendly as possible in any transition period is a pretty big talking point for many Australasian bus operators looking to enhance their fleets.
To many it will seem the safe bet, depending on their needs, while fulfilling any ‘clean’ contractual bus-route obligations and sheer on-road performance requirements. Ten to 15 years on, maybe they will go full EV or not need to. But right now, to certain operators, hybrid just makes sense.
EARLY CUSTOMERS
Highlighting a discerning use for the tech in the Australian market, Melbourne-based Ventura Bus Lines recently took delivery of the first two Scania hybrid Euro 6 route buses fitted with locally built Volgren bodies and destined for suburban and outer metropolitan route duties.
These are the first Scania Hybrid buses to be delivered to a Melbourne Metropolitan Contract Bus Operator, and will be substantially quieter and with fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions than the 1998 vintage buses they are replacing, Scania confirms.
With the ability to run in ‘silent’ electric mode when approaching or departing from bus stops, the Scania Hybrids will contribute to a reduction in noise and air pollution, providing greater public convenience, especially for areas with heavy pedestrian traffic or outdoor dining, the company explains.
Ventura Bus Lines managing director Andrew Cornwall says the Scania hybrids had arrived at the right time.
“These buses provide a significant step towards a cleaner environment, and a fully battery-powered bus future. The hybrids can be driven without noise or emissions at low speed in areas where there is a lot of foot-traffic, such as in the new outdoor dining precincts or outside schools. This makes them perfect for suburban neighbourhoods, as well as busy shopping strips,” Cornwall stated.
“These are the first Scania hybrid buses to join the Ventura fleet and they will be used within an area stretching from Brighton in the west to Pakenham in the east, on multiple routes comprising short and long stop intervals.
“We will also deploy them as part of our level crossing removal and metro tunnel bus replacement contract, so they will have to cope with high loading capacity throughout the day. This will be a good test for the Scania hybrid platform,” he said.
“The adoption of these hybrid technology buses is the second stage of our environmental journey, having operated a fleet of Scania buses powered by renewable ethanol for more than 20 years.
“While moving to zero-emission
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At the Ventura handover were State MP for Dandenong Gabrielle Williams, Ventura driver Sue Baran and Victorian Minister for Public Transport, The Hon. Ben Carroll MP.
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The adoption of the Scania hybrid for the DIT-owned fleet has led to an increase in the number of employees at Precision Buses dedicated to bus body building, Scania outlines.
ADELAIDE DEBUTS FIRST SCANIA HYBRID
South Australia now has its first Scania hybrid bus in action “towards a greener future” after debuting on Adelaide’s famed O-Bahn busway, the company announced recently.
The Scania hybrid, which can run with zero tailpipe emissions, has been bodied by Precision Buses in Adelaide, and comes ready to operate on the O-Bahn as well as the city streets, Scania states.
“Today we are taking a small but important step towards achieving a sustainable transport solution in Adelaide,” said Julian Gurney, director of sales for Scania Bus and Engines.
“The first Scania hybrid to hit the streets will be able to travel on the O-Bahn. When pulling into the interchanges to pick up or set down passengers and when departing the stops, the bus has the ability to operate on battery power, which means no noise and no tailpipe emissions,” he said.
The Scania powertrain retains the familiar high output, lowest-emission Euro 6 diesel engine mandated by the South Australian government (and meets a higher standard than the ADR requirements), mated to an electric machine powered by batteries and charged through a regeneration process.
The introduction of additional electric propulsion leads to a significant reduction in tailpipe emissions, says Scania.
HOMETOWN BODY
A locally assembled two-door Precision VST bus body has been built over the Scania chassis. This is the first of two Scania hybrid buses ordered by the South Australia Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT), and both will carry ‘hybrid’ badging on the overhead battery pod. A second order of five Scania hybrids is also in the pre-production stage, Scania confirms.
The adoption of the Scania hybrid for the DIT-owned fleet has led to an increase in the number of employees at Precision Buses dedicated to bus body building, Scania outlines.
“Each of these new Scania hybrid buses will make a contribution to reducing environmental emissions from public transport, accelerating us towards the goal of a fossil free transport future,” Gurney said.
“This hybrid technology has been proven in operation in several European cities where diesel consumption and emissions have been cut by up to 25 per cent per vehicle.
“We know that our hybrid technology makes a tangible contribution to reducing air and noise pollution.
“The Scania hybrids are part of the 340 Scania Euro 6-compliant diesel buses that we will deliver over the next decade for the benefit of all Adelaide’s public transport users.
“The first Scania hybrid will also be the 100th Scania bus built by Precision Buses for DIT (53 of which were delivered under the previous contract and 47 under the current contract).
“Scania has long been the most popular bus provider for the O-Bahn busway, which cumulatively provides more than 1,000 trips per week over the 18km run to Adelaide’s commuters,” Gurney explained.
SIGNIFICANT STEP
“These hybrid buses are setting South Australia on the road towards a cleaner environment. Ultimately, we hope to reach a batterypowered, zero-emission bus future,” said Steven Godbold, Scania SA government bus contract manager.
“Australian bus drivers who have been behind the wheel are very happy with the driveability and overall performance.
“Ride comfort for passengers is also improved when running on battery power and, by eliminating the noise of a bus pulling away from the stop and the smell of the exhaust, pedestrians in the vicinity of bus stop will also notice the improvement,” Godbold said.
“The Scania diesel electric hybrid bus marks a significant step-change in urban bus functionality and environmental benefits.
“The Scania hybrid’s ‘silent mode’ zero tailpipe-emissions experience will be a revelation for drivers and passengers alike,” Godbold said.
The Scania hybrid powertrain fitted to the new Adelaide buses has been designed to run for up to 4km on battery power alone, up to a maximum speed of 40km/h, Scania confirms.
The diesel engine can fully charge its batteries while in driving mode in just 30 minutes, says Scania.
IMAGE: Roy Vandervegt SHINING EXAMPLE
A handover event of the first two of at least seven state-of-the-art hybrid buses being delivered as part of the Marshall government’s next generation of loweremissions Adelaide Metro buses took place today.
“We are building a better, cleaner and more environmentally friendly public transport network to support local jobs and encourage more people to leave their car at home and catch public transport,” South Australia Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Corey Wingard, said.
“The first two Scania Hybrids to be part of the Adelaide Metro bus fleet have now rolled off the production line and will be ready for use across the bus network, including on the O-Bahn, in January after undergoing extensive acceptance testing.
“Pending the results of acceptance testing, it’s estimated this will result in a 15 per cent reduction in fuel consumption.
“These buses are a shining example of the innovative technology we have adopted for our new generation of Adelaide Metro buses, which will be more fuel efficient and have lower exhaust emissions than the buses they are replacing.”
The 340 new buses delivered under the contract will replace existing buses which are no longer fit for purpose or have reached the compulsory retirement age of 25 years, as required under the Passenger Transport Regulations 2009.
“Importantly, a minimum of 34 buses delivered each year will be built by Edinburgh-based Precision Buses at a critical time when jobs are needed most,” Minister Wingard said.
“Precision Buses has also created an Apprenticeship Academy and around 40 new jobs as a result of this bus supply contract.
“The adoption of the Scania Hybrid for the Adelaide Metro fleet has led to an increase in the number of employees at Precision Buses dedicated to bus body building.”
These two Scania Hybrid buses were the first ordered by the Department of Infrastructure and Transport, with a second order of five Scania Hybrids also in the preproduction stage.
The supply contract with Scania includes provisions to order additional hybrid buses and adapt to new technologies as they emerge over time.
All new buses are Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant and have driver security screens, duress alarms, CCTV and a fire suppression system.
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The Scania hybrid uses a 9.0-litre 320hp (239kW) five-cylinder Euro 6-compliant diesel engine.
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These buses work well in areas of high foot traffic, being quiet and clean at low speeds, says Scania.
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For passengers this is a notably quieter ride. buses will come at some stage in the future, the Scania Hybrids offer a proven product with which we can transition towards a cleaner public transport future.
“We see the Scania hybrids as the perfect answer as we navigate the road to zero-emission buses,” Cornwall explained.
STATE FIRST
The first Scania hybrid was delivered to regional bus operator McHarry’s in Geelong late 2019, but Scania has had hundreds of examples working in Europe for almost five years, reducing diesel fuel consumption and exhaust emissions by up to 25 per cent, it confirms.
Carbon dioxide emissions can fall by up to 92 per cent if the buses are run on bio-diesel; however, Ventura will be running its Scania hybrids on regular low sulphur diesel to be able to make direct consumption comparisons with its existing fleet, it explains.
“We know that these hybrids make a tangible contribution to reducing air and noise pollution in our cities,” said Julian Gurney, director of sales for Scania Bus and Engines.
“Scania is at the forefront globally in driving the shift towards a sustainable transport solution and we are confident that Ventura and its passengers will quickly come to appreciate the benefits of the Scania hybrid powertrain.
“The driving experience is excellent, and for passengers the ride is noticeably quieter when running on battery power.
“For pedestrians, the noise of a bus pulling away from the stop and the smell of exhaust that has been such a typical urban experience is now gone, which has made this technology very popular in European operations.
“The Scania diesel-electric hybrid bus marks a significant step-change in urban bus functionality and environmental benefits.
“The Hybrid’s ‘silent mode’ zero tailpipe-emissions experience will be a revelation for drivers and passengers alike,” he said.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
The Scania hybrid powertrain fitted to the new Ventura buses has been designed to run for up to 4km on battery power alone, up to a maximum speed of 40km/h, Scania confirms.
Employing the 9.0-litre 320hp (239kW) five-cylinder Euro 6-compliant diesel engine typically used across Australian bus fleets, and famed for its ‘torquey’ 1,600Nm output, the hybrid bus further boosts its environmental credentials with a 177hp (132kW)/1,030Nm electric motor, both of which are seamlessly integrated with the Scania Opticruise transmission, the company states.
The diesel engine can fully charge its batteries while in driving mode in just 30 minutes, it should be noted.
VALUED PARTNER
Volgren national sales manager Yuri Tessari says it was an absolute privilege to partner with longstanding customer Ventura and chassis OEM Scania to produce the two Volgren bodied low-fl oor Euro 6 hybrids.
“Volgren has supplied vehicles to Ventura for two decades; in that time we have built more than 300 vehicles for our valued partner.
“We’re especially proud of this build and we’re delighted to have contributed to Ventura’s fi rst Scania hybrid bus.”
Tessari says Volgren has worked hard to create added fl exibility to its production line, engineering and processes to help it adapt to a range of low and zero-emission chassis.
“Volgren has a long history of designing, developing and applying new technologies for the Australian market.
“We pride ourselves on providing engineering solutions that meet the developing needs of our customers, and we’re more than ready to take on the challenge of developing the best possible bus body for a low-emission future,” Tessari said. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
A further benefi t of the adoption of the Scania hybrids by Ventura is that its 2021 intake of 20 fi rst-year apprentice technicians will benefi t from learning about the hybrid powertrain system, which will stand them in good stead for their future careers.
“We’ll be ‘up-skilling’ our technicians and our apprentices as they learn about the diesel-electric powertrain, which again is a step on the road towards the full battery electric buses of the future,” Cornwall explained.
