Altair showcases lightweight, series hybrid hydraulic bus

Troy, Mich.-based AltairProduct Design, a global product engineering and design company, displayed its new series hybrid hydraulic bus, part of its BUSolutions advance transit bus development initiative. Providing a low cost of ownership, the LCO-140H bus offers a greener, lighter, more cost-effective and efficient solution for bus operators.

The product designers used a “clean sheet” design approach to create the lightweight, heavy-duty bus design specifically for the urban market, which, at 6.9 miles per gallon, yields more than twice the fuel efficiency of conventional buses, Michael Kidder, VP, corporate marketing, Altair, said.

The combination of the 10 percent lighter design with aluminum thatching, series hybrid hydraulic system and cooling system components makes the bus a practical option for transit agencies, Jeffrey Hopkins, design and build manager, Altair, said.

Additionally, because the bus converts stored hydraulic pressure into energy to drive the bus via hydraulic motors, no hybrid-electric vehicle infrastructure, such as charging stations, are necessary.