1000th GM-Allison hybrid-powered bus enters service in Las Vegas
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Allison Transmission, a global provider of commercial duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems, has announced that the 1000th city transit bus equipped with the two-mode GM-Allison Hybrid EP-System has entered service in Las Vegas.
The hybrid bus powertrain, manufactured and sold by Allison Transmission, was introduced in 2003. So far the Seattle King County Metro Transit Authority has made the biggest commitment to the system, ordering 500 of the hybrid buses. This latest landmark delivery is part of a fleet order by the Regional Transportation Commission of South Nevada (RTC) that will double its fleet of hybrid buses from 30 to 60 operating in the Las Vegas area.
The announcement is a fitting finale to what has been a record-setting year for the GM-Allison Hybrid EP-System. In 2007, more than 400 GM-Allison hybrid-powered buses were produced, with 360 units delivered to 36 cities - the highest annual totals since deliveries began in 2003. International sales of the system are growing since its European launch with Solaris at the IAA Show in September 2006. Solaris buses with the system are now operating across Germany and Switzerland in cities including Dresden, Leipzig, Lenzburg, and Bochum. The GM-Allison Hybrid EP-System has proven to deliver significant fuel saving benefits, lower emissions, and quiet operation.
The two-mode hybrid technology in the GM-Allison Hybrid EP-System has served as the starting point for General Motors' co-development with DaimlerChrysler and BMW Group of the two-mode hybrid system for passenger vehicles.
