BAE Systems will engineer an electric drive system for the Seattle transit agency's fleet of buses as the city looks to further adopt eco-friendly technologies.
King County Metro Transit intends to use BAE’s HybriDrive Series-E electric drive technology for the 120 New Flyer Xcelsior buses, BAE said Wednesday.
The HybriDrive Series-E system is designed to reduce noise and emissions from vehicles and address the demands for fuel alternatives other than diesel and natural gas.
“Power from the on-board generator is either stored in the batteries or drawn to run the electric traction motor and the drive train,“ said Steve Trichka, vice president and general manager of HybriDrive services for BAE.
BAE will develop and produce the hybrid propulsion technology at its Endicott, N.Y.-based facility and intends to start delivering the drive system to customers in 2014.