BC Transit's $90M hydrogen bus fleet to be sold off, converted to diesel

[Locutus]

Hydrogen buses that were once lauded as the future of clean transportation in B.C.are being replaced by old-fashioned diesel power.

The 20 vehicles were part of a high profile, $90-million plan to showcase hydrogen power during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler.

BC Transit is now taking bids on the buses and will either sell them off or have them converted to use diesel or other fuel.

According to Burnaby's Ballard Power Systems, which manufactures fuel cell engines, Whistler's hydrogen buses cost $1.34 per kilometre to maintain, versus 65 cents per kilometre for diesel-powered buses.


https://ca.news.yahoo.com/bc-transits-90m-hydrogen-bus-021211072.html


http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/archives/reader-tips-2975.html#comment-939329



goddamn loonie left coasters

 

[petros]

goddamn loonie left coasters

you forgot pathetic.

Godddam pathetic loonie left coasters.

 

[bill barilko]

you forgot pathetic.Godddam pathetic loonie left coasters.

It was actually Gordon Campbell's project-too bad none of you remember the Hydrogen Highway him & Arnie were going to build between BC & California-your man Stevie was there too!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BC_hydrogen_highway

 

[Cannuck]

Good old Stevie still has some folks convinced he is competent. Great use of my tax dollars there Steve.

 

[petros]

Oodles of public cash was sunk into Ballard. How about the noisy natural gas assist buses? What happened to them?

 

[Cannuck]

Colpy should be by any minute now to explain why Harper pissing away taxpayer dollars on this stuff was all the fault of the Liberals.

 

[petros]

Colpy should be by any minute now to explain why Harper pissing away taxpayer dollars on this stuff was all the fault of the Liberals.

 

[Locutus]

• Government of Canada ($45 million through the 2006 Public Transit Capital Trust Fund)
• Government of British Columbia ($26.7 million)
• Resort Municipality of Whistler ($16.8 million)*
• Canadian Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association ($1 million)

http://www.transitbc.com/fuelcell/fleet.cfm

 

[petros]

Money that could have went to the new Coquitlam Center skyslug line instead of upping fares and gas taxes.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Toronto used to have electric buses on 2 routes (one was Bay 6) in the 80s. It was scrapped due to cost and now they run diesel.

It's a stupid application of energy conservation to begin with. Buses carry 50-60 people so the per person pollutant load of a diesel bus is much less than the same people driving cars even if they carpool. But I am sure it was a great PhotoOp for everybody involved at the time.

 

[Locutus]

Money that could have went to the new Coquitlam Center skyslug line instead of upping fares and gas taxes.

coulda kept some jib rats in free dope for awhile too.

 

[captain morgan]

Colpy should be by any minute now to explain why Harper pissing away taxpayer dollars on this stuff was all the fault of the Liberals.

Yes, this was all a ploy by Harper, himself, to force this onto BC.

The poor wee lambs, why, how can they possibly get to the next protest and picket the next pipeline or forestry project.

 

[Cannuck]

Yes, this was all a ploy by Harper, himself, to force this onto BC.

Of course it wasn't. Don't be silly. I know you conservative party supporters need to deflect attention away from the fact that Harper was pissing away tax dollars, but facts are facts

 

[captain morgan]

No, it was a ploy by Harper, and Harper alone, entirely against the wishes of the BC gvt and especially their citizens. Further, it had absolutely nothing to do with that Province's green initiatives... Nothing at all

 

[Cannuck]

No, it was a ploy by Harper, and Harper alone, entirely against the wishes of the BC gvt and especially their citizens. Further, it had absolutely nothing to do with that Province's green initiatives... Nothing at all

The wishes of the BC government are irrelevant to me as an Alberta taxpayer. I care about what the federal government has done and how they pissed away tax dollars. Of course, i'm a fiscal conservative and that's why it concerns me. As a social conservative I can understand why it's no concern to you

 

[captain morgan]

I care about what the federal government has done and how they pissed away tax dollars.

This is your first exposure to politics, ain't it

Of course, i'm a fiscal conservative and that's why it concerns me. As a social conservative I can understand why it's no concern to you

Don't be coy. It's common knowledge that your not only a card carrying Dipper, but also head of the New Democratic Party Sleuthing Committee and as such, this attempted cover-up was unearthed so handily.

Give yourself a pat on the back

 

[Cannuck]

This is your first exposure to politics, ain't it



Don't be coy. It's common knowledge that your not only a card carrying Dipper, but also head of the New Democratic Party Sleuthing Committee and as such, this attempted cover-up was unearthed so handily.

Give yourself a pat on the back

Don't be silly. I have continually and consistently argued for fiscal responsibility in my time here on this forum. You, on the other hand have not. If you believe being in favour of fiscal responsibility makes me a dipper then that says volumes about your ****ed up political views.

 

[taxslave]

The money was not pissed away by any means. It is unfortunate that it didn't work out as planned but there was great potential in the Hydrogen power. It was a real life experiment and had it worked there would have been high fives all round. Not to mention a large industry for BC. And the cost was nothing compared to what has been spent trying to make electric cars work.

 

[grumpydigger]

I still laugh when I think about Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gordon Campbell clapping his little red mittens in orgasmic glee over the great hydrogen highway. these hydrogen buses are pretty much the same as the fast ferries completely useless and to be sold off at pennies on the dollar at taxpayers expense.

 

[taxslave]

I still laugh when I think about Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gordon Campbell clapping his little red mittens in orgasmic glee over the great hydrogen highway. these hydrogen buses are pretty much the same as the fast ferries completely useless and to be sold off at pennies on the dollar at taxpayers expense.

No the busses actually work just the maintenance costs are double diesel. Also they could be repowered with diesel or even electric.