[San Diego, APTA] ADL Enviro 500H

Today (Oct 7th), i went to San Diego Convention Center attending the APTA 2008, which holds in Oct 5 to 8. In the expo, most US bus manufacturers are there. One of the thing that attracts me to go there because of the first Enviro 500 Hybrid (E500 H).  
The E500 H is built on a ADL Trident classic 12.8M with Cummins ISL, 6 cylinder turbocharged intercooled diesel engine with 330 BHP@2000rpm and Allison hybrid drive system Ep50 including battery and DPIM unit.[from the spec sheet from ADL] Other specification are almost the same with other LHD E500 buses. This bus is belonged to BC transit after the expo
let me post some interior pics
Upper deck:



The dash:

Quite interesting to see that there are many language options, such as English, French, Chinese, and etc

The lower deck


As you can see, there is not much difference between the 12.8M E500 and 12.8M E500 H for the interior. However, when you look closely, you will find some differences, The E500 H is 12.8M, but the lower deck has the same seating arrangement with the 12M E500.

You can see it from the exterior:


Since the back of the lower deck is used to put the battery packs, some space in the lower deck is occupied. Btw, this bus adopts the parallel hybrid technology (from the leaflet) instead of series hybrid mentioned in the news from ADL


Comparsion of two E500s. Left is the Super Decue (190) from RTC which has two staircases and the right one is 12.8M E500 H for BC transit.
Besides these two E500s, 2 other LHD E500 demostrators are also attending the expo as i mentioned in my post before. The expo will end tomorrow noon. The Super Decue and the E500 H will be driven to their bus companies and will enter service as long as they arrived to the bus company.
The representive knows that i come from HK, then he told me that ADL is building one Enviro 400 (2 axles, 18 tonnes) in UK for trial to KMB (ADL provides demo to KMB and wants it to test), and they hope that the law in HK can give exception for it and let the E400s enter HK market successfully. Also, according to him, Eldorado, one of the bus manufacturers in US, will help ADL to assemble E500 using CKD in the future for North American market.

Many pics are taken in the expo, I might post them later even though not many boardmates interested in US buses.
Welcome to discuss.
(hkitalk.net)only

[ 本帖最後由 ATE2 於 2008-10-8 15:38 編輯 ]

It is a shock news that KMB would like to test Enviro400....

I am glad to see that ADL does not give up Hong Kong market.
I also hope that 2 axles air-cond. bus can be launched successfully(depends on TD),
then it will provide more no-step area at the middle of lower decker.

[ 本帖最後由 on11358 於 2008-10-8 21:45 編輯 ]

i don't think HKTD will amend the laws in HK.
I will be glad to see an ENVIRO400 to be tested in HK, but I am afraid that the ending would be the same as the 15m Neoplan Megashuttle.
BTW, how long will that E400 be?

Enviro 400 would be a better bus for routes with
limitation on roads,
It provides more spaces on the lower deck and
more step free area.

Finally, it's confirmed the Enviro 500H will go to BC Transit, but this bus most likely will go to Victoria, I'm quite looking forward it will go to Victoria as possible~~

hktd is too inflexible and not open minded.
Looking forward to this E400 and hope it can success.
And I hope that ADL can provide a E500 12.8M version to HK for test as well in the future.

In the expo, i can see that ADL is a very aggressive company. They just open the North America market for several years, and they have quite many products for North America, especially the E500H, which is an unique product because there is no RHD E500H produced at this moment.
PS: After they told me that there will be an E400 to HK, i am very glad that they don't give up the Hong Kong market.

原帖由 ATE2 於 2008-10-9 11:46 發表
In the expo, i can see that ADL is a very aggressive company. They just open the North America market for several years, and they have quite many products for North America, especially the E500H, whic ...

I'm glad to see that ADL didn't give up the maket of HK too

And I would like to see if ADL provide E500H Demo to HK, as goverment said diesel powered buses are one of the main air pollution in HK