Every day we witness the evolution of the technological world through new discoveries or creations that aim to improve the quality of life of people, provide security and ensure our integrity, facilitate us performing different activities, help us solve our problems more common, among others.
However, the advancement of technology also demands changes in many aspects of collective life; that is, changes in the political, economic and social sphere of a group of people, in other words, a society, country, continent, etc. But in this article we will focus on a more specific point.
The means of transport are very important in our daily life as they help us move from one place to another. We already know what our means of transport are so we do not need to mention them. Currently, buses are the most requested terrestrial means of transport for long distance travel.
Therefore, it is no exception for the technology to pay attention. The big automotive companies have improved their vehicles over time to adapt to the new generations and have revolutionized their own market with extravagant innovations.
One such innovation is electric vehicles; ie vehicles that replace fuel for electricity. Although it is this innovation is very environmentally friendly, it is limited with respect to the distance and time in which an electric vehicle can travel.
But returning to the subject of this article, cities and countries are about to put bans on internal combustion engines in a couple of decades, that’s why electric bus technology is advancing and the company that owns the first place for its advances in this environment is Proterra.
On Tuesday, the California-based company said its E2 Max Catalyst reached 1,102.2 miles on a single charge, a world record for the longest distance traveled by an electric vehicle without recharging. The company Navistar confirms the results obtained by Proterra since the demonstration was realized in its test grounds.
Proterra is advancing rapidly in the emerging category of electric battery transit. The company notes that they have built the Catalyst from the ground exclusively as an EV, with a durable body that extends for life and also that they have developed an advanced and modular battery storage and have tied it to a proven electric transmission system and state-of-the-art power supply systems.
The result is a vehicle that is defining the future of clean and quiet transportation with:
· 0 to 20 mph acceleration in 6.8 seconds
· The ability to take steep slopes with a slope of 15.5%
· 26,000-33,000 lbs. Light weight, the lightest vehicle in its class
Proterra’s high-performance transmission system maximizes power and efficiency to meet the challenges of continuous revenue service. It consists of only two moving parts, a 220kW peak-mounted permanent magnet motor and 2-speed auto-shift EV transmission, and does not require oil or other liquids.
Catalytic vehicles are also equipped with regenerative braking. When the driver takes a foot off the accelerator, the vehicle slows down and the engine runs in reverse, directing the power to the batteries to charge. Brake maintenance is reduced because the drivers drive the brake pedal much less, which significantly prolongs the life of the braking system parts. With conventional bus drum brakes, parts must be replaced every 20,000 miles. With regenerative braking, the parts can potentially last 100,000 miles or more, further reducing maintenance costs over the life of the vehicle.
At Proterra, “Safety First” is more than just a slogan. Proterra vehicles are designed with passenger safety as their main concern. For example, battery packs are in the safest possible location outside the passenger compartment. The batteries are liquid at controlled temperature and incorporate active and passive safety systems, with robust and reinforced batteries that are separated from the passengers by a sturdy structural barrier.
The Catalyst bus body is constructed of carbon fiber reinforced impact-absorbing composite materials and is equipped with Mobileye’s collision avoidance technology, providing collision avoidance and mitigation by alerting drivers to potential incidents before happen.
An advanced electric propeller offers optimum energy efficiency at a lower operating cost than fossil fuel combustion engines. And the carbon-reinforced composite body resists impact and corrosion, while providing a significantly longer life than conventional transit vehicles.
The Proterra Catalyst zero emission and electric battery bus is built on a platform designed to provide flexibility and durability. The highly efficient batteries offer reliable power with modularity to fit a number of urban and regional routes.
An advanced electric propeller offers optimum energy efficiency at a lower operating cost than fossil fuel combustion engines. And the carbon-reinforced composite body resists impact and corrosion, while providing a significantly longer life than conventional transit vehicles.
