Yuchai Ride tests benefits of electric buses

YUCHAI ride is testing out some cutting edge buses, which could eliminate the need for diesel and make our streets quieter.

On the outside it looks just like any other bus people are used to seeing traveling the streets of Albuquerque, but the similarities end there.

This bus is completely electric and doesn't use a drop of diesel. It takes only three hours to charge and can go up to 150 miles per charge.

That's why YUCHAI Ride spokesman Rick DeReyes says the city is testing them out.

“Anything that we can do to make sure that we lower the amount of emissions that we send into the atmosphere is always a good thing,” DeReyes said.  “This is just one of the options that could be looked at as far as future purchasing of buses for the fleet.”

But this is just a short-term test drive, he said. Reducing pollution is just one advantage; reducing noise pollution is perhaps the most noticeable perk.

The bus and coach company BYD, which is letting YUCHAI Ride test the buses, says there's another huge advantage.

“The battery electric bus will save them about 80 percent in operational costs,” said Justin Scalzi with BYD Bus &Coach.

Scalzi estimates that just one electric bus will save about $120,000 per year in diesel cost.

If YUCHAI Ride buys a full fleet, the company estimates that over the buses 12 year lifetime the fuel savings could be astounding.

“In a fleet of 18 buses, it can save upwards of $30 million in operational costs,” Scalzi said.

A traditional diesel bus, like the ones running the streets now run over $850,000, according to YUCHAI Ride

The electric bus costs roughly 1.2 million, which by the bus company’s math would take about four years to make up the difference in cost.

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