Assessment of Hybrid Configuration and Control Strategies in Planning Future metropolitan/Urban Transit Systems

Simulation studies are performed to evaluate the potential fuel savings and reduction in emissions from using hybrid powered buses on Long Beach City bus routes. Conventional diesels, diesel-hybrid, and gas turbine-hybrids with different configurations are considered. The results of these studies are compared with experimental data and are generally in good agreement. Fuel economy is shown to be dependent on the bus hybrid system configuration, component sizing as well as the bus route, with a potential fuel economy improvement of as much as 80%. Emissions are also substantially lowered if hybrid buses equipped with diesels or gas turbines are deployed. Depending on the mission, driving patterns, and road conditions, different control strategies demonstrate different results.

The project objective was to investigate the feasibility of utilizing a fleet of medium and large size hybrid passenger vans in metropolitan/urban areas to improve the overall fuel efficiency, reduce emission, and increase throughput without increasing cost life of the system-- thus allowing additional routes to areas where such services are most needed. This is done by allowing fleets consisting of a mix of vehicles such as hybrids and internal combustion engines to operate.