Investigation of basic operating characteristics of conventional, diesel-electric and hybrid-electric city buses under urban driving conditions

Abstract

Basic operating characteristics of Conventional, Diesel-Electric (DE) and Hybrid-Electric (HE) city buses were investigated under real-world driving conditions. To perform the investigation, real-time operating data of the buses were collected on Campus-Return route of Sakarya, Turkiye. It was observed that although traction power versus bus speed characteristics indicated similarities for the buses, the engine power versus bus speed characteristics did not indicate the same similarities. The main difference was that while the engine powers of the Conventional and DE buses increased steeply to their maximum during sudden accelerations, that of the HE bus increased gradually to its maximum. While the traction and braking energy traces of the buses were quite similar, the engine energy traces of the HE bus was significantly different although the buses were driven on the same route.