[IMAGE]Orion-VII-a-.jpg[/IMAGE] Daimler Buses North America will introduce its lithium-ion energy storage system at the 2008 APTA Expo in San Diego. Introduced into production earlier this year, the lithium-ion energy storage system is over 3,000 pounds less than the previous design resulting in improved carrying capacity and better fuel economy.

The six-year design life is twice as long as the previous design and is backed by a two-year standard or five-year extended warranty. Over the course of a buses’ lifetime, the lithium-ion energy storage system will save approximately 30,000 gallons of fuel versus that of a standard diesel, as well as approximately 300 tons of CO2 and a ton of NOx. It will also help reduce costs over the vehicle’s life as it requires no conditioning and has lower operating costs, such as fuel, brake life, maintenance and replacement costs.

Daimler is also showcasing a Houston Metro Orion VII diesel-electric hybrid transit bus featuring the Lithium-ion energy storage system, as well as an articulated transit bus based on the European-based Mercedes Citaro platform.