Ways of improving economic indicators of high-potential city electric buses

Abstract

Problem. The rapid development of electro bus building during the last decade has been in progress in a number of ways. However, low-floor city electric buses that fall under Class I of UNECE Regulation No. 107 and a large class on the overall length of the subclasses BKl-1 and BKl -2, more than 10.0 m to 11.0 m and more than 11, 0 m to 12.0 m, are created, for the most part, according to one layout based on the classical wheel formula 4х2.2. This option for building the city electric buses involves the simple replacement of motorized drive axle of the portal type of base buses to electromechanical or electrical axle of the same type with similar dimensional parameters and allowable loads. In the design of the bus bodies of basic busses only the changes connected with the placement of electric power sources - accumulator batteries or ionizers (super-capacitors) and component parts of the electric traction drive system on their roofs are introduced. Goal. The improving economic indicators of high-potential city electric buses. Methodology. It is shown that high-potential ways of constructing electric buses with the best economic indicators are: - Reduction of the unladen weight of electric buses (and, accordingly, of the total weight) through the optimization of the length of their bus bodies with a given total passenger space;- Reduction of the unladen weight of electric buses through the use of drive axle with independent wheel suspension or "De-Dion" type with single wheels and two traction electric engines. The described ways of creating high-potential urban competitive electric buses provide a significant improvement in their performance characteristics. Results. The competitiveness analysis of proposed projects of high-potential city electric buses is provided. Practical value.  It is concluded that upon conditions of achieving the high indicators of constructive efficiency at the cost of production of electric buses and on providing the finding for the creation of the infrastructure of charging stations, the future belongs to the electric buses with replacement of traction battery packs, which can be located in the rear part of the bus bodies of electric buses or in one- axle or two-axle trailer.

Key words:

electric bus, electric motor drive, drive axle, traction electric engine, layout diagram