It travels above the traffic and is powered by motors running on both battery and solar energy. The world's first elevated electric bus will enter service in China. It costs far less than a metro and promises to drastically reduce pollution.
Stifling traffic, out-of-control pollution and public services struggling under the strain of road-network congestion: the picture for Chinese mobility, particularly in major cities, is anything but rosy. A situation that could, however, change soon thanks to the introduction of an innovative electric mode of transport. A smart solution that takes on traffic jams… by going over them!
It is called the Transit Elevated Bus (TEB) and it is the world's first elevated bus capable of running on rails. It has no impact on traffic, since it rises above it thanks to its tunnel-frame structure, while at the same time being unaffected by the jams or slowdowns typical of ordinary road traffic. A sort of catamaran driven by battery-powered motors and fitted with an exceptionally bright and spacious passenger cabin, large enough to carry up to 300 passengers – though future versions are said to have a capacity of over 1,200 people – with a level of comfort unknown to conventional vehicles.
Unveiled at the China Beijing International High-Tech Expo technology exhibition, the Transit Elevated Bus relies, in addition to the conventional lithium-ion cell power system, on solar energy as well, since the roof surface is covered with special photovoltaic film that helps maximise the vehicle's range. Despite its futuristic appearance and operation, the Chinese elevated bus is closer to series production than one might think: its creator, Canadian company TEB Technology, claims to be capable of building the first definitive units within a year, and can already count on two prototypes that will enter service in the city of Qinhuangdao, in Hebei province in northern China, by the end of 2016.
The Transit Elevated Bus is 22 metres long, 7.8 metres wide and 4.8 metres tall, and can reach a top speed of 60 km/h. At present it has a minimum ground clearance of 2.2 metres, which is insufficient to "pass over" heavy goods vehicles, but the development of a more advanced model is imminent. The figures speak in the TEB's favour in any case: bringing it into service will cost less than a fifth of what would be spent on building a conventional metro line. A far from trivial feature. It comes as no surprise, then, that Brazil, France, India and Indonesia have already expressed considerable interest in the project.