FAQ
Acquisition cost:
Q: How much does the hybrid system add to the price of a school bus?
A: Our patented hybrid electric system which utilizes state of the art ultracapacitor technology, not problematic battery technology, will add between $35,000 - $40,000 to the price of a school bus – depending on the application.
Q: Will the prices come down in the future?
A: While our system is already competitively priced, the trend with this technology is that prices will come down as volumes increase.
Application:
Q: Is there any advantage to using this hybrid technology on a rural route as opposed to an urban route?
A: The frequent stops and starts of typical urban and suburban routes get the most out of the hybrid system. Routes with extended distances between stops won't see as much improvement in fuel economy but would still realize benefits in reduced maintenance from the regenerative braking.
Q: Does the diesel shut off when stopped?
A: No. The diesel engine stays on during operation of the bus, even if the hybrid system is engaged. This is required to drive the accessories such as power steering, air compressors, vehicle alternator, etc.
Battery Life:
Q: What is the expected life of the batteries?
A: Due to the many issues associated with today’s batter technology including costs and durability, we have chosen to utilize state of the art ultracapacitors (ultracaps) for our hybrid systems. Ultracaps last much longer than batteries (10 years on average) and they are much safer than batteries. The lead acid batteries in the charge-sustaining system should last between 3 and 5 years. The lithium-ion batteries in the charge-depleting system are expected to last 5 to 7 years.
Q: What is the cost of a replacement battery pack?
A: The batteries are some of the most expensive components to this system ($6000+ / pack) which is one of the reasons we have chosen to utilize ultracaps instead of batteries.
Biodiesel:
Q: Is the use of biodiesel acceptable with the hybrid system?
A: Yes, up to B5 or B20 depending upon your operation. The hybrid system we offer is completely "post transmission," meaning that all of the components are mounted in the driveline after the transmission output.
Charging Costs:
Q: How much does the electric cost to charge these units versus the savings in diesel fuel?
A: The equivalent cost of charging the batteries from an outlet is roughly $0.60/ gallon. However, the PCI system does not require plug-in charging so there is not cost associated with charging the ultracaps. Our competition uses plug-in technology – we do not.
Cold Weather:
Q: Will the hybrid system work in cold climates?
A: Yes, cold weather operation should be unaffected by the addition of the hybrid syste
Return on Investment:
Q: Is there a payback during expected life of the vehicle? What is the life of the vehicle?
A: The life of the HEV bus is designed to be the same as the life of a non-hybrid school bus, which average around 12 years. Depending on the duty cycle of the bus and the financing arrangements chosen, the PCI system can offer an immediate payback or a very fast return on investment. Our competition’s pricing is much higher so outside funding is almost always needed to justify the cost. This is not the case with the PCI system.
Emissions:
Q: How much reduction in emissions can we expect by using your HEV system?
A: The harmful emissions are reduced by the same amount as the fuel economy savings. If you save 30% on fuel by utilizing our system, you’ll reduce your harmful emissions by 30% as well.
Funding:
Q: What types of funding exist for hybrid buses?
A: Various funding sources exist. Existing formal programs would include the Clean School Bus program as well as the hybrid tax credit. Informal programs are found in the way of local demonstration projects by any interested constituency that has funding capability. This can include state EPA organizations, power companies, or others.
High Altitude:
Q: Will the hybrid system provide sufficient power and torque in high altitude applications?
A: Our hybrid system provides a boost to the diesel engine output, so if anything a hybrid bus will have more power available.
Maintenance:
Q: What kind of precautions do we have to take servicing these units due to the high voltage, etc?
A: The system encompasses overlapping safety systems. The system utilizes normally open switches as well as high voltage fusing and on/off switches. All high voltage cables are marked in orange sheathing.
Miscellaneous:
Q: How much weight does this system add?
A: The PCI system adds a total of around 500 lbs. to the bus versus 2000 lbs. added by our competition’s system.
Warranty:
Q: What is the warranty on the hybrid system?
A: The PCI hybrid system is warranted for 2 years or 36,000 miles, whichever comes first. Our competition offers a 1 year warranty on their system.
