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

[coldstream]

Maybe BC could get rid of that Gas Surtax.. which has been a huge burden on the BC economy. Its stated purpose was of controlling carbon emissions contributing of AGW which has now been exposed as a gigantic FRAUD.

This is one of a list of 'green' technologies that have turned out to FIASCOs.. like the hugely inefficient and environmentally damaging solar and windpower generating farms. Or the laughable, expensive, virtually useless clunkers of the 'electric car' (or now the 'hydrogen bus').

Once people get this dull, vacuous, sentiment drenched look off their face when they talk of protecting 'Mother Nature' and take a look at the cold hard facts, they realize they are being scammed.

 

[skookumchuck]

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

So there are no normal BC people? How about Ontario?

 

[taxslave]

So there are no normal BC people? How about Ontario?

Possibly. I think all the abnormal ones from Ontario already moved to BC.

 

[petros]

Unlike everyone else on this thread I have some experience of those hydrogen busses being as how I shared the road with them and even rode them a few times when I worked in Whistler.

The guy who thinks they'll be converted to diesel has No Clue you can't just drop a diesel engine into one without ripping it apart and spending more money than it's worth putting it back together-ditto NG-it ain't gonna happen.

You have experience riding a bus?

 

[Cannuck]

You have experience riding a bus?

I think most people outside of Saskatistan have. You guys will get buses someday. I understand you now have paved roads and running water

 

[petros]

Water runs uphill in SK. Doesn't your's? Do you even have water in the desert?

 

[MHz]

Big oil told the auto industry decades ago that it didn't matter if they could build hydrogen and electric cars, the engines that would have fuel are gas and diesel.
The buses are a sweet deal for somebody and I'll bet the engines are worth a pretty penny. HHO is a lot easier to produce but it is a make on demand fuel. Those engines would be better as stationary ones using HHO fuel that is produced through electricity (12V) created through solar or wind gen sets. Granted it is expensive to set up but at least you don't have to watch the empty road for that load of fuel that will never arrive at the 'cabin'.
NORAD could use then for their mountain retreats and get them for scrap metal prices.

 

[petros]

It's little oil that you should fear.


There is nothing unique about a hydrogen burning internal combustion engine, nat gas burning or diesel because they are all the same engine.

 

[bill barilko]

You have experience riding a bus?

Yes-those things are the quietest & smoothest accelerating large vehicles I've ever been in.

Of course I realise my Real World experience counts for little beside your tiresome political cant and mundane bitterness.

 

[lone wolf]

So there are no normal BC people? How about Ontario?

Ontario privatized Hydro and shot itself in the foot with regards to heavy industry and has resorted to extorting customers to keep hydro alive. Whassat tell you about Ontario politicians. Not a lot brighter than yours, eh?

 

[petros]

Maybe some day you'll be able to afford a vehicle of your own.

 

[lone wolf]

Maybe some day you'll be able to afford a vehicle of your own.

Maybe some day you'll say something that makes sense

 

[petros]

Maybe some day you'll say something that makes sense

It makes sense to bus riding Bill.

 

[lone wolf]

It makes sense to bus riding Bill.

Affording the car's the easy part. Insuring, fueling and maintaining, on the other hand....

 

[petros]

Affording the car's the easy part. Insuring, fueling and maintaining, on the other hand....

Freedom of mobility. Priceless.

Are you on NG at home? Fuel can cost as little as 15¢ L with a home CNG pump.

 

[Cannuck]

Maybe some day you'll be able to afford a vehicle of your own.

What a silly comment. Anybody that understands the cost of transit versus the cost of operating a car in a big city would know that it's far smarter to use public transit the drive your own car. I have a brother in Edmonton that uses public transit in his day to day life and when he wants to go somewhere that requires a car he rents one

 

[skookumchuck]

Freedom of mobility. Priceless.

Are you on NG at home? Fuel can cost as little as 15¢ L with a home CNG pump.

That is exactly what was said about propane in the early 80's. My neighbor had a 1000 gallon tank to heat his farm house so he converted his 4x4 truck to propane and gravity filled it from his tank. 15 cents a liter, but only lasted a short time until the price went up. He was not sure in the long run if he saved any money.

 

[Cannuck]

That is exactly what was said about propane in the early 80's. My neighbor had a 1000 gallon tank to heat his farm house so he converted his 4x4 truck to propane and gravity filled it from his tank. 15 cents a liter, but only lasted a short time until the price went up. He was not sure in the long run if he saved any money.

We were paying two cents a liter on our fleet of trucks in 1982. By 1989 the cost per liter had gone up so much that it wasn't really worth it anymore

 

[lone wolf]

Seemed kind of odd to me that there was an insurance surcharge for natural gas fuel but you could insure a Pinto at regular rates

 

[petros]

That is exactly what was said about propane in the early 80's. My neighbor had a 1000 gallon tank to heat his farm house so he converted his 4x4 truck to propane and gravity filled it from his tank. 15 cents a liter, but only lasted a short time until the price went up. He was not sure in the long run if he saved any money.

BBQs killed cheap propane. NG will always be super cheap. There is sh¡tloads of it.

What a silly comment. Anybody that understands the cost of transit versus the cost of operating a car in a big city would know that it's far smarter to use public transit the drive your own car. I have a brother in Edmonton that uses public transit in his day to day life and when he wants to go somewhere that requires a car he rents one

A big city like Whistler?

When I lived there your thumb was the transit system.