DesignLine Corp. said that results from its multi-year, Enhanced Electric bus project at Charlotte, N.C.-based Charlotte Douglas International Airport showed increases in fuel economy of up to 41 percent and maintenance cost reductions up to 93 percent, when compared to the airport's traditional diesel buses.

DesignLine's Enhanced Electric Vehicles were first delivered to the Charlotte Airport in early 2007 and immediately placed into daily operations. The Airport now operates seven of the buses in its fleet, with more scheduled for delivery.

The bus is a pure electric vehicle with an on-board range extender used solely to recharge batteries throughout the day. In addition to the fuel and maintenance savings, DesignLine's Charlotte Airport buses reduced NOx emissions by 42 percent and CO emissions by 38 percent during daily operations, according to Mecklenburg County's Air Quality Division.