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Ultracapacitor Bus Recharges At Each Stop

Posted by kdawson on from the fill-er-up-with-electrons dept.

TechReviewAl writes "A US company and its Chinese partner are piloting a bus powered by ultracapacitors in Washington DC. Ultracapacitors lack the capacity of regular batteries but are considerably cheaper and can be recharge completely in under a minute. Sinautec Automobile Technologies, based in Arlington, VA, and its Chinese partner, Shanghai Aowei Technology Development Company, have spent the past three years demonstrating the approach with 17 municipal buses on the outskirts of Shanghai. The executive director of Sinautec touts the energy efficiency of this approach: 'Even if you use the dirtiest coal plant on the planet [to charge an ultracapacitor], it generates a third of the carbon dioxide of diesel.'"

7 of 419 comments (clear)

  1. Next model by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The next model will come with a flux supercapacitor, and will generate several sequels.

  2. I can see the design review meeting now... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Engineer: Sorry, the idea didn't pan out. The battery works, but it's got no capacity. Useless.

    Marketing Guy: What do you mean, no capacity? It can't be zero if it works, right?

    Engineer: Sure, but it gets drained in seconds by any sort of circuit.

    Marketing Guy: They recharge as fast as they drain, right?

    Engineer: Yeah, sure. but...

    Marketing Guy: "Recharges in under a minute". Nothing on the market can match it. When can we ship in volume?

  3. Re:No, thanks by santiago · · Score: 5, Funny

    The gasoline-filled tank is under the seats? Call me old fashioned (and it won't be the first time) but I'll take a pennyfarthing, thank you.

  4. The Flux Supercapacitor by Cryacin · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is what makes bus travel POSSIBLE!!!

    --
    Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
  5. Re:No, thanks by Tumbleweed · · Score: 5, Funny

    Springs and the support post are under the seat? Call me old fashioned (and it won't be the first time) but I'll take a horse, thank you.

  6. Re:No, thanks by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Inherently unstable bipedal locomotion under the hip? Call me old fashioned (and it won't be the first time) but I'll stick to swinging around on vines, thank you.

  7. Re:No, thanks by Sasayaki · · Score: 5, Funny

    Limited stop options and the serious risk of drowning? Call me old fashioned (and it won't be the first time) but I'll take a Ultracapacitor Bus which recharges at each stop, thank you.

    --
    Check out my sci-fi book "Lacuna" at http://goo.gl/MVxX8