The hybrid-equipped Gillig Phantom transit bus will give event attendees a firsthand glimpse of the future of cleaner mass transportation.

The 40-foot, high-floor bus is powered by Allisons EP System, an advanced parallel hybrid-electric powertrain.

Able to reach speeds of 65 miles per hour, the bus uses diesel fuel and electricity to deliver much lower hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions than conventional buses. The EP System lowers particulate emissions (tiny pieces of soot and dust) by 90 percent and NOx emissions (nitrogen oxide) by 50 percent. The EP System also delivers 60 percent greater fuel economy than a conventional diesel system in a transit bus application. The bus has a maximum capacity of 42 passengers.

The EP System enables this bus to out-perform conventional buses while significantly reducing emissions and delivering safe and reliable transportation, said Fred Cartwright, program

manager of Allison Electric Drives at Allison Transmission. This technology extends the benefits of GMs advanced technologies to todays mass transit industry by delivering an environmentally responsible, commercially viable and sustainable hybrid propulsion system.

Cartwright added that there are about 13,000 transit buses in service in the nine largest U.S. cities.

If we could replace those buses with ones featuring hybrid technology, this country would use nearly 40 million fewer gallons of diesel fuel each year. Thats the equivalent fuel savings of 584,000 small hybrid cars, said Cartwright.

In addition to delivering low-emissions and high-performance to the Gillig bus, Allisons EP System is also ideally suited for use in 60-foot articulated buses, suburban coaches and trucks.

Cartwright explains how the Allison EP System works:

Hybrid means there are two vehicle power sources  in this case a diesel engine and battery. In a parallel hybrid, the engine-generator combination works in parallel with the battery, furnishing electrical power to keep the battery charged.

A chief benefit of the hybrid system, says Cartwright, resides in the fact that it incorporates electric Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) capability.

What this means is more efficient, flexible and cleaner engine operation. For example, when the bus accelerates from a stop, a powerful acceleration is furnished by the batteries, while the engine speed is either maintained, or more slowly increased then it would be in conventional powertrains. This is done while ensuring the engine is on its most fuel efficient and cleanest operating profiles.

When preparing to stop, the bus automatically absorbs the electrical energy created by braking and captures it in an onboard energy storage system. This conserves energy and saves the bus brakes. The stored energy is then used to re-accelerate the bus  a process that allows for a major increase in fuel economy.

Passengers on the Allison-powered bus immediately note its smooth, fast acceleration. Because its engine is normally operated at lower speeds that gradually increase, both exhaust emissions and noise levels are greatly reduced.

Overall the EP System can achieve:

 Up to 50 percent improvement in fuel economy.

 Ninety percent reduction in soot particulate.

 Ninety percent reduction in hydrocarbons.

 Fifty percent reduction in nitrous oxide.

 Carbon dioxide reduction equal to the reduction in fuel consumption.

In 1999, Allison successfully completed a hybrid bus demonstration program for New York City Transit Authority. The New York program was successful and led to additional market opportunities for Allison hybrid systems. These market opportunities have led to system sales to New Flyer Bus Industries and subsequent sales of buses equipped with these systems to the end user. These systems are deployed at Orange County Transit Authority in Anaheim, California and are currently in service. About a dozen systems are scheduled for delivery in 2002 that will be deployed to key sites in North America.

Allison Transmission leads the world in the design, manufacture and sales of medium- and heavy-duty automatic transmissions. Founded in 1915, the GM division has produced and sold more than 3 million transmissions.

General Motors (NYSE: GM), the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, designs, builds and markets cars and trucks worldwide. In 2000, GM earned $5 billion on sales of $183.3 billion. It employs about 372,000 people globally.

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