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Daimler to Test Smart Electric Cars in Hong Kong as Smog Worsens

Sep 7th, 2011
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-06/daimler-to-test-smart-electric-cars-in-hong-kong-as-smog-worsens.html

By Bloomberg News – Sep 6, 2011

Daimler AG (DAI), the world’s second- largest manufacturer of luxury cars, will provide a trial version of its Smart electric car to partners in Hong Kong as the city battles record pollution.

Daimler’s partners in the trial, which include the Hong Kong Jockey Club and Swire Coca-Cola HK, will use the two-seater car for six to 12 months, the carmaker said in a statement today. Stuttgart-based Daimler’s Mercedes Benz unit will offer a service center with technicians and mechanics.

The pilot program, which will run for four years, joins a push by automakers such as Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (7211) and Nissan Motor Co. to introduce electric vehicles in Hong Kong, where pollution reached “very high” levels on a record one in four days in 2010, according to government data. The city government plans to replace some fuel-powered vehicles with electric ones and is trying hybrid buses, lawmakers said in February.

“A combination of electric vehicles and cleaner energy is a very good recipe for Hong Kong to become a greener city,” Edward Yau, Hong Kong’s environment secretary, said today. The city has 170 electric vehicles and will increase the number of charging stations to 1,000 in a year from 300, he said.

Smart Car

Daimler’s Smart electric car, which can travel 135 kilometers (84 miles) on a full charge, won’t be produced globally until 2012, according to the automaker’s website. In Asia, the company has launched similar pilot programs in Indonesia, Japan and Singapore.

The other four partners who will get the car in Hong Kong are CLP Power Hong Kong Ltd., Jardine Airport Services Ltd., Yan Chai Hospital and Hongkong Electric Co.

Vehicles are the second-biggest source of pollution in Hong Kong after power stations, and their numbers rose 9.6 percent between 2004 and 2009, according to the government.

Nissan agreed to supply advance units of its Leaf electric car to Hong Kong, the government said in January. Mitsubishi Motors already sells its battery-powered i-MiEV in the city.

Daimler’s Mercedes marque was the second-largest luxury car brand based on the latest full-year numbers.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Kae Inoue at kinoue@bloomberg.net

Daimler and BASF combine know-how in pioneering vehicle project

Sep 2nd, 2011
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http://www.asiapacific.basf.com/apex/AP/AsiaPacific/en/upload/Press2011/BASF-Daimler-2011-International-Motor-Show-Frankfurt-smart-forvision

Bus stop revamp to ease centre traffic

Aug 24th, 2011
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24 August 2011

http://www.macaudailytimes.com.mo/macau/28771-Bus-stop-revamp-ease-centre-traffic.html

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From next Sunday traffic in downtown Macau could be easier, said the Transport Bureau, with 21 routes diverted from Avenida de D. João IV and Avenida do Infante D. Henrique

A total of 21 routes will be diverted from some of the busiest bus stops in downtown Macau from August 28 to ease traffic congestion, the Transport Bureau (DSAT) announced yesterday.
Avenida do Infante D. Henrique and Avenida de D. João IV will benefit most from the new measures, which also include an extension of routes MT1, MT2 and MT4 and the creation of a new bus stop near Regency hotel in Taipa.
“I’m sure it [the measures] will be able to cut down on the time it takes for buses to drop off and pick up passengers, as well as to ease traffic congestion,” said the head of DSAT’s Transport Management department, Dick Lo Seng Chi.
From next Sunday routes 3, 4, 6, 18, 18A and 9 will no longer stop at Avenida do Infante D. Henrique, in front of Macau Square. In addition buses 3 and 6 will also no longer stop at the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ) headquarters.
Moreover, routes 23 and 32 will not go through Avenida do Infante D. Henrique and will instead move into Avenida Dr. Mário Soares before continuing to Macau Tower.
The stop at Avenida de D. João IV near the Portuguese School will be less busy as well, with buses 2, 5, 5X, 7 and 10 no longer stopping there.
Route 28 A will also dodge stops at Avenida de D. João IV and DSEJ headquarters and instead continue to the bus hub at Praça Ferreira do Amaral, in front of Lisboa casino.
Finally route 28 B will move straight along Avenida da Praia Grande with a new stop at China Plaza.
Another stop will be created in Estrada Almirante Marques Esparteiro, near Regency hotel, and buses 21A, 22, 24, 25X, 26A, 28A, 33, 50, MT1 and N3 will stop there after crossing Nobre de Carvalho bridge into Taipa.
Also “in response to resident requests” routes MT1, MT2 and MT4 will be extended from its existing terminal at Praça Ferreira do Amaral. While MT1 and MT2 will continue until Praçeta 24 de Junho next to MGM casino and MT4 will go all the way to Praça de Ponte e Horta, at Praia do Manduco.

Reolian improving

New bus operator Reolian is improving its services “much faster than what we had anticipated,” Lo Seng Chi said.
The company “has faced problems and failed to fulfil the bus frequency required,” he acknowledged. But Reolian “has been improving every day” since the new public bus service was launched on August 1, the official stressed.
Still, he added, the operator needs to strengthen the training and attitude of its drivers.
DSAT is especially concerned over reports of conflicts between drivers and passengers. “We have already spoken with Reolian about this issue,” Lo said.
The bureau is also worried about several mechanical breakdowns that affected the company’s vehicles.
“Reolian’s buses are new but they were imported from mainland China and perhaps they are not prepared for the characteristics of the Macau road network,” the official said.
He stressed that most malfunctions occurred going up steep streets. “They should have a technician from the [bus] manufacturer on call to improve the mechanics,” Lo said.
Up until Sunday there were over 120 mechanical breakdowns affecting the buses of all three operators but in most cases the service was not affected. In addition there were 88 accidents with only a few causing injuries.
DSAT has warned new bus operator Reolian that it must provide full services by September 1 or face penalties. Transmac and TCM are currently helping Reolian fulfil some of its busier routes.
“We will see what Reolian’s ability is to boost its services. We have yet to reach a decision on eventual sanctions,” Lo said.

UTC Hydrogen Fuel Cell Sets Performance Record on Oakland AC Transit Hybrid Electric Bus

Aug 15th, 2011
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http://cleantechnica.com/2011/08/15/utc-hydrogen-fuel-cell-sets-performance-record-on-oakland-ac-transit-hybrid-electric-bus/

Description: http://c1cleantechnicacom.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/files/2011/08/PureMotion-2-e1313415144278.jpg

Photo Credit: UTC Power

A UTC Power PureMotion 120 System hydrogen fuel cell in an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit (AC Transit) hybrid electric bus has set a performance record by running more than 10,000 hours on its original cell stack, the Hartford, Ct.-based manufacturer announced recently.

More than 50% efficient, around double that of diesel-powered buses, the proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell is powered by hydrogen that isn’t produced from natural gas. As a result, AC Transit’s hydrogen fuel cell-powered hybrid electric buses emit nothing but water vapor. They produce zero greenhouse gas emissions and no particulates.

“The fuel cell bus operates on hydrogen fuel and produces nothing but water vapor – there are absolutely no tailpipe emissions,” UTC Power’s manager of transportation programs Dana Kaplinksi told CleanTechnica. “Conventional diesel, diesel hybrid, and CNG powered buses all produce CO2, CO, and NOX. Diesel powered buses also produce particulate emissions.”

Durability is one of the key questions that fuel cell developers and manufacturers need to address if the technology is to gain widespread adoption in the transportation sector.

“This is the type of result we and our industry are looking for as we make steady progress toward proving the commercial viability of fuel cell buses for public transit,” Jaimie Levin, AC Transit’s director of alternative fuels policy and hydrogen fuel cell program manager, stated in a press release.

“We’re looking forward to applying the success of UTC Power’s newest fuel cell systems in our new fleet of 12 next-generation buses, as they enter passenger service over the next six months.”

AC Transit has rolled out two UTC Power PureMotion 120 hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses, one in 2006 and another in 2007. UTC Power delivered another 16 to transit agencies from August through December 2010.

All told, UTC’s PureMotion Model 120 PEM fuel cell has accumulated more than 650,000 miles and 62,000 hours of operation in regular transit bus service. “Based on the field data we collect, our laboratory testing, modeling and analysis we believe the majority of the fleet will operate for at least 10,000 hours,” Kaplinksi told CleanTechnica.

A longer fuel cell life span reduces the cost to transit system operators. “The life-cycle cost of the fuel cell engine is important in the transit bus market because a typical bus will operate for 12 years,” Kaplinksi explained. “We recognize the cost to purchase, operate and overhaul the fuel cell is important to the end customer and we are actively developing new designs and improved manufacturing processes for fuel cells.”

The cost of fuel cells also remains relatively high as they are still only manufactured in small quantities. That should change with significant cost reduction realized with “even modest volume production because the fuel cell stack is made up of many repeat parts,” Kaplinksi pointed out.

Another factor is the cost of manufacturing fuel cell-powered hybrid electric vehicles. “It’s not only the cost of the fuel cell but the entire bus that is important,” Kaplinksi explained.

“Compared to a diesel bus, fuel cell buses have a different fuel storage system to carry hydrogen, different cooling systems for the fuel cell and batteries, and an all electric drive system to power the wheels. Bus manufacturers have to build a unique vehicle, that typically cannot be produced using their main production line, which also contributes to their high cost.”

All that said, the cost of fuel cell hybrid electric buses has come down in the last five years as manufacturers have been using some of the same electrical components as diesel hybrid buses, Kaplinksi said, adding that UTC Power continues to reduce fuel cell prices through improved design and manufacturing processes.

And there are advantages to using fuel cell hybrid electric buses in addition to zero emissions. They perform well across varying power demand conditions typical for urban buses and “can be started from a cold state very quickly,” according to Kaplinksi.

Fuel cell hybrid electric buses also have a high power density, “which is important because the fuel cell has to fit in the vehicle and not add a lot of weight, which would reduce vehicle performance.”

Finally, PEM fuel cells with electric drive trains are more than 50% efficient in terms of energy to power conversion, “which results in better fuel economy as compared to a diesel engine on an equivalent energy basis,” Kaplinksi explained.

Source: Clean Technica (http://s.tt/132tO)

Get rid of polluting vehicles

Aug 1st, 2011
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South China Morning Post – 1 August 2011

Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) has complained about rising fuel costs and says the government should create a stabilisation fund for the firm. Giving public money to a for-profit enterprise is a dangerous path to take.

However, it seems to me that this debate opens the door to a greater opportunity.

On the one hand, it is true that fuel costs are increasing. On the other hand, bus and minibus fleets are still largely gas-guzzling, pre-Euro V vehicles.

It would seem obvious that it would be of use for the government to spend a few billion dollars that it has in its reserves to upgrade these fleets to hybrid/Euro V vehicles.

This would greatly reduce roadside pollution levels, lower the operational costs for bus operators and benefit all citizens.

Combine this measure with regulations mandating emission levels for vehicles over the long run (10 to 20 years) to avoid operators’ inertia and I think we would have a win-win solution. As a bonus, it would also make redundant the current idling engine legislation, which is virtually unenforceable.

KMB’s responsibility to optimise its routes would still hold if it wanted to compete with other operators.

I would say this is better use of government funds than the HK$6,000 handout to permanent residents.

J. C. Clement, Tai Kok Tsui

Better use of buses the way forward

Aug 1st, 2011
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South China Morning Post – 1 August 2011

Hit by soaring fuel prices, a few transport operators have called for government subsidies to support their operation one way or the other. Last week, the holding company of Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) issued a profit warning in the coming months despite a 3.6 per cent fare increase in May. It suggested the government inject what it called “seed money” in a fund to buffer oil price changes and to ease pressure for future hefty fair increases. The Star Ferry appears to be following suit, calling for similar subsidies to avoid bigger fare rises.

The proposals, if adopted, may set a dangerous precedent for taxpayers subsiding private business. The two transport operators are not the only victims of rising oil prices. Everywhere enterprises have to streamline operations as well as exhaust cost-cutting and revenue measures to keep businesses viable. But having said that, KMB has reasons to worry in that any fare adjustment requires approval from the Executive Council. The process is a protracted political tussle and there is no guarantee they will get what they want. For instance, the increase sought by KMB was slashed from 8.6 to 3.6 per cent by the government, The decrease in passenger figures, from 2.64 million a day in 2009 to 2.55 million in the first half of this year, also adds uncertainty to its bleak outlook.

There have been suggestions that the fund could be used to make up for the gap in the fare increase sought and eventually approved. Apart from a government injection, the fund could be financed by KMB profits when its return exceeds a certain level. The proposal appears to be attractive at first glance. It may spare passengers hefty increases. But if such a buffer is to be set in place, the company may lose its incentive to enhance competitiveness and performance because of such a fallback. Besides, if business prospects are as bleak as what KMB has estimated, it seems unlikely that the company will be in a position to contribute to the fund.

The government has rightly quashed any hopes of such an ill-conceived proposal being taken further. It has asked a legitimate question – why should taxpayers subsidise bus passengers? KMB warned that if no action is taken the unavoidable outcome will be that the company folds. Such threatening remarks will not help to win it public support in tackling the difficulties it is facing.

The bus operator says 60 per cent of its routes are losing money. However, any plans to merge underused routes may cause inconvenience to passengers and face opposition. But half-empty buses running on the road are both wasteful and polluting. It is to be hoped that public opinion will now swing to support route rationalisation, an essential step to better utilise its 4,000-vehicle fleet.

Bus pollution After embarrassment over the additional NO2 produced by the particulate filter traps on buses Govt is now going to pay for SCR which should have been mandatory in the first place

Jul 4th, 2011
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Download PDF : LCQ18Busespollution

KMB takes route to $108m buys

Jun 30th, 2011
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Hong Kong Standard – 30 June 2011

Kowloon Motor Bus will spend HK$108 million on 60 single-deck vehicles to be used on less popular routes.

Kowloon Motor Bus will spend HK$108 million on 60 single-deck vehicles to be used on less popular routes.

The company will also replace 36 single-deckers more than 15 years old.

KMB head of depots Ho Chi-man said yesterday the number of less popular routes has increased, especially in the New Territories, owing to population movements.

KMB has also proposed replacing double-deckers with single-deck buses on 20 routes where demand has fallen.

If approved, the new services will begin early next year.

Ho said the  new single-deck buses are environmentally friendly, emitting 94 percent less particulates and 79 percent less nitrogen oxide than existing vehicles, several of which have been in use since 1994.

“In addition, most of the older buses have steps at the entrance, which makes it difficult for the elderly and those in wheelchairs,” he said.

The new buses have lower floors and the ramp at the entrance may be lowered by 25 centimeters to allow wheelchairs.

PEARLIE YIU

China to tighten emission rules for commercial vehicles

May 31st, 2011
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May 31, 2011, 02.07pm |China Association of Automobile Manufacturers

HONG KONG: China will soon strengthen rules for greenhouse gas emissions from commercial vehicles that run on diesel fuel as part of its commitment to reducing air pollution, an industry group said on Tuesday.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers said a stricter emission regulation will be imposed on diesel vehicles smaller than 3.5 tons, starting July 1. After the new standard goes into effect, the traffic authorities will not accept applications for sales or registration of vehicles that fail to meet the requirement.

The tougher standard, which is on par with emission standards in Europe, limits carbon monoxide emissions to a maximum of 0.74 grams per kilometer for light commercial vehicles.

http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-05-31/news/29604264_1_emission-rules-china-association-diesel-vehicles

KMB facing loss from fuel costs

May 21st, 2011
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South China Morning Post 21st May 2011

Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) could soon apply for another fare increase. Its management is warning that, for the first time in a decade, it could make a loss.

Hong Kong’s largest bus operator – whose profit contribution to holding company Transport International Holdings (SEHK: 0062) has shrunk over the years – raised its fares by an average of 3.6 per cent on Sunday.

But the group’s managing director, Edmond Ho Tat-man, said the HK$200 million a year the fare increase would generate would not fully cover its fuel costs, which are expected to increase by HK$500 million this year.

“We are not making enough to cover our expenses. If oil prices don’t fall, we will be in the red this year,” Ho said.

KMB’s listed flagship Transport International, which makes money from leasing and selling property at its former depots and operating local coach services and public transport in Shenzhen and Beijing, reported a net profit of HK$866 million last year, nearly 30 per cent above that of 2009.

More than half the profit came from sales and interest earnings from property projects in Lai Chi Kok, including offices, shopping malls and luxury apartment block the Manhattan Hill. Excluding two one-off gains, its franchised bus operation accounted for just HK$243.3 million of its profits, down 38.4 per cent from 2009.

The company blamed that drop in profit on fuel costs, which were HK$1.14 billion last year and made up nearly a fifth of KMB’s expenses. The price of the near-zero-sulphur diesel the company uses jumped from US$86 per barrel in July – when KMB sparked a public outcry by proposing average fare rises of 8.6 per cent – to US$138 per barrel last month.

Ho said 60 per cent of KMB’s 380 routes were losing money – an all-time high. “Most of these routes overlap with rail lines and are seriously underused. Some trips, even at peak periods, carry less than 15 passengers but our proposals to trim or remove them are always opposed by district councillors.”

Route restructuring can only get tougher in the next two years, with elections being held for district councils and the legislature. Councillors will be particularly reluctant to agree to reduce public services. Last year councillors rejected seven of KMB’s 16 applications to trim routes; just nine of its 3,800-strong bus fleet were taken off the road as a result.

KMB hopes to import at least 10 supercapacitor buses – an electric model that recharges via an overhead cable at bus stops – by the end of next year. Deputy managing director Evan Auyang said it hopes the technology will be mature enough by then for KMB to adopt it rather than buying diesel-powered buses that meet the European Union’s new Euro IV emission standards.

The group’s shares closed up 0.87 per cent at HK$23.20. Auyang said the market was worried Euro VI buses could use more fuel than Euro V models since they will require extra power to reduce emissions of pollutants such as nitrogen oxide.

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