I’ve used public transportation for almost every stage of my life, and even today I regularly use articulate buses and sub-urban trains.
I vividly remember those noisy, articulated city buses I used to ride to work or school and the unpleasant, cold exhaust fumes hitting my face while waiting at the bus stop.
In the city where I live today, that noise and the suffocating fuel residue have been replaced by trains and buses that make only a slight buzz sound, are smooth, and don’t release any gases into the air.
Electric vehicles used in public transportation are no longer just a dream.
From Izmir to Amsterdam, New York, and Tokyo, many cities around the world are replacing old buses and trains with newer, more environmentally friendly electric vehicles.
These vehicles promise significant solutions to many problems, from traffic congestion to air pollution.
But are these vehicles truly the solution to all of the city’s problems or could there be some underlying issues we haven’t yet noticed?
Why are electric public transport vehicles so popular?
The reason why municipalities and city planners are turning to electric public transport vehicles in their city fleets isn’t just because they’re fashionable.
There are various valid reasons for this ranging from the financial benefits to the health of city dwellers.
I remember the dark smoke rising from the municipal buses I rode in Ankara. Diesel was very common and convenient but it had this drawback.
In fact, the biodiesel used in double-decker buses operating on long routes used to make the streets smell like french fries, and it made me nauseous.
The new electric buses and trams don’t even have exhaust pipes. This means breathing cleaner air, no matter where you are in the city.
Another important advantage of the electric fleet is the noiseless operation of their motors. They are so quiet that sometimes you don’t even notice them passing by.
Even electric vehicle manufacturers like BMW have started offering sound systems for use while driving on a subscription model.
The initial acquisition costs of electric public transport vehicles are high, but their advantages become apparent in the long term.
Even now, filling a tank with electricity is more economical than filling it with gasoline. While classic engines have hundreds of parts prone to failure, electric motors have fewer parts. Consequently, the likelihood of malfunction is lower.
No oil changes, fewer filters.
They are very useful on the busiest routes with frequent stop-and-go traffic, making them ideal for city driving.
The growing pains of the “electric” transformation
Should we postpone the transformation?
Of course, as with any major change, there are some challenges in switching to electric buses that make you wonder, How will this happen?
Here are the points that municipalities are worried about:
Under current tariffs, an electric bus is almost twice as expensive as its diesel counterpart.
It saves money over time, and while we should of course look at the long term, when it comes to a city, the number of buses added to the fleet isn’t limited to one or two.
Therefore, the amount of money coming out of the treasury increases significantly.
This causes municipalities to reconsider the electric fleet transition again and again when budgeting and planning expenditures.
What if the battery runs out?
With a gasoline-powered bus, you can fill the tank in at most half an hour and tour the city all day. But electric buses like our cell phones, need constant recharging, and currently, there aren’t suitable charging stations on every route.
This actually means more limited use and service on fewer routes.
It also means building the necessary infrastructure to charge these vehicles quickly and safely.
Will the transformer explode?
After electricity was connected to the newly built buildings in my neighborhood, we experienced prolonged power outages at the neighborhood transformer.
This was a problem caused by the simultaneous high energy draw from household appliances like air conditioners, ovens, washing machines, and dishwashers in the houses.
Now imagine dozens of electric buses plugged into the sockets and charging simultaneously in the bus garage.
The existing electrical cables and the transformers they are connected to seem unlikely to handle this load.
In short, simply replacing the city fleet with electric vehicles isn’t enough; significant infrastructure investments are also needed.
What will we do with the old batteries?
You’ve probably noticed that your cell phone battery starts losing its performance after a year, and the situation is no different for the batteries of electric public transport vehicles.
It’s been calculated that the batteries of these vehicles become obsolete in an average of 7-10 years.
So what happens when these batteries become obsolete? How will we recycle them without harming the environment?
Will they be reused to store another type of energy or will all the batteries be packed into a space container and sent on a journey towards the sun?
This is another important question for which the answer is not yet fully known.
Is electrifying the fleet the only solution?
Sometimes it’s hard to get up from where you’re sitting or you forget to charge your cell phone before going to sleep and this becomes a big problem the next day. The situation is similar for the huge fleet operating in the city.
Of course, science is constantly evolving and is pursuing other solutions to free public transportation from dependence on power outlets, developing fantastic alternatives.
Buses with water dripping from their exhaust pipes
The biggest competitor to electricity, which powers cars, buses, trucks, and even trains, is another equally clean and abundant alternative: hydrogen.
Hydrogen-powered vehicles (FCEVs) contain a small electricity factory.
Hydrogen is filled into the factory’s tank like fuel, and this hydrogen combines with air to convert into electricity, powering the vehicle.
Instead of harmful gases, water vapor is emitted from the vehicle’s exhaust.
The best of both worlds: Hybrids
For those who aren’t entirely old-fashioned but aren’t too tech-savvy, hybrid models are the preferred choice. These vehicles have both a traditional engine and a battery.
Hybrids seem like an option we should consider for urban public transportation.
Because they have the potential to provide modernization and innovation while comprehensively and completely preparing the city for fully electric vehicles; we can call hybrid vehicles a kind of bridge.
They are both fuel-efficient and don’t break down and disrupt service even if there are infrastructure deficiencies in one part of the city.
Inspiring examples from around the world
South Korea has significant initiatives in hydrogen-powered public transportation.
They plan to put 21,200 hydrogen buses on the road by 2030. These buses can be fully refueled very quickly and travel very long distances.
Another interesting piece of news related to hydrogen concerns an airport.
The hydrogen conversion of Incheon Airport in South Korea has been completed. This facility is located at a key point in the city and, thanks to its high-capacity refueling and storage capabilities, will contribute to quickly supplying the hydrogen needed for the city’s public transportation.
Germany’s goal is a step bigger. They have established the world’s first line of trains powered by hydrogen.
Moreover, these trains operate on old lines where diesel trains used to roam, spewing smoke and lacking even an electrified line.
Another example from Europe comes from Italy. The city of Bologna will put 130 hydrogen-powered buses into service by 2026.
In the Far East, hydrogen-fueled buses are very common in Tokyo, Japan. These buses use electricity when stopping and starting, and when accelerating, another engine kicks in, ensuring both quietness and fuel efficiency.
…
It seems that the race between electric, hybrid, and hydrogen will not have a single winner. Furthermore, new competitors could join this trio at any moment; we cannot know where technology is headed right now.
However, electric public transport vehicles for short distances, hydrogen-powered giants for long routes traversing the city and smart hybrid vehicles for areas lacking sufficient infrastructure seem to be the best solutions.
Regardless of which operates where, the winners will be the people living in the city. Quieter streets, cleaner air, and much more comfortable journeys…
