ThunderVolt Hybrid-Electric Transit Buses Complete First 25,000 Miles of Service

Electric Vehicle Product Update from ISE Corporation
Volume II, Issue 4 * 2000.03.01

On 29 February 2000, the world's most advanced hybrid-electric transit bus successfully completed its first year of operational service in downtown Los Angeles. The ISE Research ThunderVolt 30-foot bus, using an ElDorado National RE-29 bus chassis and body, was the first of eight such buses placed into service on the L.A. Lincoln Heights-Chinatown route in 1999 and 2000. The second, third and fourth buses in the series were delivered to the L.A. Department of Transportation the first half of 1999. The fifth through eighth buses will use Capstone microturbines. The eighth bus also will be a low-floor prototype.

During their first several months of service, the first four buses in this series have clearly demonstrated the ability to outperform equivalent diesel and alternative fuel buses, as well as other electric and hybrid-electric transit coaches. "The bus has wonderful power," according to David Smith, General Manager of Ryder/ATE, the contractor responsible for operating the ThunderVolt buses for the City of Los Angeles. In particular, the ThunderVolt bus has exhibited faster acceleration and superior hill-climbing ability.

The high performance of the ThunderVolt bus is made possible by the use of a high power "industrial strength" AC induction motor adapted for electric vehicle use by a team of ISE Research and Siemens technologists. The high torque 100 kW motor at the core of the ThunderVolt TB-30H drive system was originally developed by Siemens for heavy industrial machinery, but also employs precision control capabilities that ISE Research has exploited to create a remarkably versatile vehicle motive drive system.

The ISE Research ThunderVolt drive system has several other features that are enabling hybridelectric technology to be successfully applied to a wide variety of heavy duty buses, trucks, and tractors. The ISE Research system employs an inexpensive pack of maintenance-free lead-acid batteries, augmented by a small, efficient combustion engine that is linked to a generator to supply onboard electricity. The L.A. buses use General Motors V-8 engines converted to run on propane, but ISE Research also offers hybrid-electric drive systems utilizing CNG, diesel, and other fuels.

A unique feature of the L.A. buses is engine "Auto-Control." An onboard computer network continuously monitors vehicle power and battery charge levels, and adjusts engine power output to provide just the right amount of power to operate the vehicle. In fact, the onboard computers shut off the engine completely when its power is not needed, enabling the vehicle to function as a zero emissions electric vehicle.

"The bus has a really smooth, comfortable ride," according to Sonia Flores, the first Ryder/ATE operator to drive the ThunderVolt bus in regular service. "Basically, I really had fun with that bus - it was pretty exciting!". The ThunderVolt hybrid buses are routinely driven up to 140 miles per day, and reliability is being continually improved as operating experience is gained.

ISE Research/ThunderVolt drive systems can be installed into virtually any type of transit bus. ISE Research has developed a more powerful ThunderVolt TB-40H drive system for 40-foot transit buses, which utilizes a drive motor with twice the power of the L.A. 30-foot buses. This new ISE Research product is being demonstrated in a bus to be delivered to the University of California later this year and in a fleet of 40-foot New Flyer transit buses to be deployed in San Bernardino in 2000. Prices for 30 and 40 foot hybrid-electric buses using the ThunderVolt drive system start as low as $369,000, and will decline significantly over the next year as production volume increases.

For additional information, please contact:

Director of Marketing
ISE Corporation
7345 Mission Gorge Road, Suite K
San Diego, CA 92120
Phone: (619) 287-8785
Fax: (619) 287-8795
www.isecorp.com
marketing@isecorp.com