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How
was the emissions project initiated?
The NAVC emission
testing project was initiated through the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) as part of the Hybrid-Electric Vehicle Program.
The testing of currently deployed hybrid-electric transit buses
offered the opportunity to evaluate the potential of this technology
in a real world application. Several transit operators were purchasing
demonstration fleets of hybrid-electric buses and independent emission
test data would clarify the in-use emissions and potential emission
reductions attainable with the hybrid-electric technology. West
Virginia University, which has significant emission testing experience,
was contracted to conduct the emission testing utilizing their transportable
dynamometer. M.J. Bradley & Associates was contracted to provide
project logistics, oversight and peer review.
The NAVC enlisted
the participation of three transit operators in the Northeast United
States: the Massachusetts Port Authority at Logan International
Airport in Boston, Massachusetts (Massport), the New York City Department
of Transportation (NYC DOT) and the New York City Metropolitan Transit
Authority (NYC MTA). The NYC MTA was in the process of deploying
five Orion VI low floor buses outfitted with a hybrid-electric drive
system supplied by Lockheed Martin Control Systems. NYC MTA was
also deploying one additional hybrid bus that was produced in partnership
between NovaBus Inc. and Allison Transmission.
What
buses were tested?
The NAVC project
tested five hybrid-electric Orion VI buses from Orion Bus Industries,
equipped with Lockheed Martin Control Systems (now BAE Systems)
powerplants (Orion-LMCS) and one hybrid-electric RTS bus from Nova
Bus Incorporated (NovaBUS), equipped with an Allison Transmission
hybrid powerplant (Nova-Allison). Each of the hybrid-electric vehicles
has a series configuration and is equipped
with an integrated oxidation catalyst/regenerative particulate trap.
At the time
this project was conducted, the Orion-LMCS hybrid-electric bus was
a pre-commercial hybrid design with approximately 15 to 20 units
in service. The Nova-Allison hybrid was a proof-of-concept prototype
demonstration vehicle.
In addition
to the hybrid-electric buses, the project conducted dynamometer
efficiency and emissions testing on state-of-the-art closed loop,
oxygen sensor feedback, catalyst controlled CNG buses and catalyst
controlled diesel buses. Each bus tested during this project was
equipped with a recent model year (1997 Ð 1999) engine with relatively
low mileage.
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