NY MTA Celebrates Cleaner, Smarter Transit Through Commitment to Orion Hybrid Buses

MTA Receives Environmental Award From CALSTART

California Group Cites Hybrid Bus

NEW YORK, Nov. 29 -- Metropolitan Transit Authority Chairman Peter Kalikow and New York City Transit President Lawrence Reuter and other state, local and federal officials gathered here today with DaimlerChrysler's Andreas Renschler to celebrate the improvements to New York City's quality of life provided by the hybrid diesel-electric buses produced by Orion Industries, a DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America LLC company.

And CALSTART -- North America's leading advanced transportation technologies consortium -- acknowledged this dedication to cleaner, smarter transit by awarding the MTA a prestigious 2005 Blue Sky Merit Award for its leadership in the transit industry in the early use, commitment to and support of fuel-saving hybrid technology. The award will be made Thursday in a Los Angeles ceremony.

The MTA recently ordered an additional 500 Orion VII transit buses with HybriDrive(R) propulsion, which are produced in Oriskany, NY, to increase its hybrid fleet to 825 by the middle of 2007. In addition, the agency took an option which could add 389 more units to city service.

"We were proud when our Orion VII was chosen by the MTA and New York City Transit to reduce emissions, improve fuel economy and lessen the noise of its transit fleet," said Renschler, DaimlerChrysler Board of Management member responsible for commercial vehicles. "And we are prouder that the buses' performance during daily use in the world's toughest urban bus system has led to an order of 500 additional units."

When compared to traditional diesel transit buses operating in New York, the Orion VII showed significant reductions in fuel use and pollution produced.

"And every Orion hybrid on the streets replacing a diesel bus means a cleaner, quieter environment for all New Yorkers," said Renschler. "The hybrid system means the diesel engine in each bus is nearly half the size of a standard diesel-bus engine. This smaller engine produces less pollutants and quieter running."

At the heart of the Orion VII hybrid bus is the HybriDrive(R) propulsion system provided by BAE Systems of Johnson City, N.Y. The system propels the bus with a single electric motor powered by a diesel-driven generator. A Cummins ISB 5.9-liter diesel, similar to the powerplant offered in DaimlerChrysler's Dodge Ram pick up truck, provides the generating power which also charges the system's batteries. The batteries are the source of additional electrical power for high demand situations, such as fast starts and hill climbs.

The diesel engine in a series hybrid like the Orion VII is optimized to run at relatively constant speeds (acceleration/deceleration is accomplished by varying the speed of the electric motor, not the diesel) for maximum efficiency and clean operation.

Another feature of the Orion VII hybrid is the regenerative braking system that uses the electric drive motor to slow the bus, effectively turning the motor into a generator to help recharge the bus batteries. This feature both saves energy and significantly reduces brake wear.

The series hybrid design also eliminates the need for a mechanical transmission which means no transmission overhauls, a major maintenance item on conventional buses.

Orion, a brand of DaimlerChrysler, operates production facilities in Mississauga, Ontario and Oriskany, N.Y. DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America, based in Greensboro, N.C. produces and markets a wide range of commercial bus and coach products under the Orion, Setra, and Dodge Sprinter brands and is a unit of DaimlerChrysler, the world's leading manufacturer of buses and coaches for Class 6 and higher, with more than 32,000 chassis and complete buses produced annually for revenue of more than $4.3 billion

CALSTART is the California operating division of WestStart-CALSTART, North America's leading advanced transportation technologies consortium. It is a participant-supported organization of more than 115 companies and agencies, dedicated to expanding a high-tech transportation industry that cleans the air, creates jobs and improves energy efficiency. WestStart-CALSTART is playing a leading national role in deploying more efficient vehicles, supporting fuel diversity and expanding new systems for transit and personal mobility. Visit http://www.weststart.org/ for more information.