September 18, 2006—School bus manufacturer IC Corporation recently unveiled a hybrid electric bus and announced that it will provide up to 19 hybrid buses to school districts in 11 states. The buses combine a V8 diesel engine with an 80-kilowatt Hybrid Drive System developed by Enova Systems, Inc. The system is based on a parallel architecture, allowing it to use both diesel and electric power in a highly efficient manner, according to IC Corporation.
IC Corporation claims that the buses will achieve up to a 40 percent increase in fuel efficiency. The company is a subsidiary of International Truck and Engine Corporation, which is also developing hybrid utility and delivery trucks.
The states that will receive the hybrid buses include Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. The hybrid bus development was in response to a request for proposals from Advanced Energy, a non-profit founded by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. For more information about the organization’s Hybrid Electric Bus program, visit online.
