Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Lithium: Electric Bus Wars: Adura Systems Ready To Unveil Hybrid Powertrain TNR.v, SQM, GOOG, BYD, TTM, RIMM, WLC.v, CLQ.v, GM, F, FCX, RTP, OIH, OIL

Here is our Next Big Thing in a double macro trend: Growth with China involved as usual and Demographic trend in the West retired baby boomers are devoted travellers. This babies will need powerful batteries and a lot of Lithium.
Jay YarowApr. 20, 2009, 7:38 AM

Adura Systems, a California based startup, is developing technology that will get electric hybrid buses moving 50 miles per gallon. Adura is working in conjunction with the Chinese government to deploy its first buses.
Adura is building a modular hybrid powertrain that can hold ten battery packs, a gas generator to charge the batteries, and an electrical/software setup to monitor the whole thing. The company has spent the past two years developing the powertrain and aims to get buses rolling in China in the next year.
Greentech: One of the keys to the system is its modularity. The battery packs, which can hold up to 22 kilowatt hours of power each, slide in on rails. A bus can go out with ten, or three. A maintenance staff can juggle the type of capacity to better fit the local topography. Instead of ten battery packs, a bus can be loaded with seven battery packs and three modules loaded with ultracapacitors, which can provide acceleration. Technically, buses based on the [Audura's technology] will be serial hybrids, similar to the Chevy Volt, because they will drive on electricity but use a gas generator to recharge.
Adura will charge $155,000 for its powertrain, expensive compared to the powertrain of a gas drive train of $75,000. Audura's CEO tells Greentech Media that lower fuel and maintainance costs mean that in the long run, it will save municipalities $800,0000.
This isn't the only company working to bring electric buses to the roads. Last Friday the DOE entered into a 50-50 deal with Navistar to bring hybrid buses to American roads.

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