Even better than a hydrogen bus
I stumbledupon this story
Tindo, a solar-powered electric bus, was introduced just last week in the city of Adelaide in Australia. The best part? It’s free to ride the supercute, supersolar Tindo.
Designed and manufactured by New Zealand-based Designline International, Tindo is charged by a photovoltaic system installed at the Adelaide Central Bus Station. It’s the largest grid-connected solar photovoltaic system in South Australia and charges the bus’s 11 batteries, which power the fully electric zero-emission engine. The bus has a range of 200 km between charges, more than enough to accomodate services within the city. It carries up to 42 passengers, a number that includes 25 seated passengers, 2 seats for disabled passengers, and 15 standing persons. And as for the name? Tindo is the Kaurna Aboriginal word for “sun.” Quite appropriate, we think.
By having a fully solar-powered bus, Adelaide has created something that other cities should follow. Here’s hoping that Tindo does not remain a one-off model, but becomes the future of mass transportation. And did we mention that it was free to ride?
“Tindo is at the cutting edge of sustainable solar energy technology – using the power of the sun to drive a commuter transport vehicle which operates with zero tailpipe emissions, and is also fully carbon neutral.” said Lord Mayor Michael Harbison.
+ Tindo Solar Bus @ Adelaide City Council
Stephen Rees's blog 
Nice. But I think we may need to add wind power to the solar power (for winter).
I saw some parking lot streetlamps in Hawaii that had individual solar and wind generators on each lamp.
Ron C.
December 18, 2007 at 6:57 pm
how much would such a bus cost. notice its only one bus and offering the bus for free shows that the demand for such a trinket isnt even very significant. or is it just a ploy to guarantee that the buses dont make money.
sustainatarian
December 19, 2007 at 10:16 am
It would not be very expensive – because it is just an ordinary battery bus and they have been around for years. The only “innovation” is the solar powered battery chargers – presumably they have two sets of batteries one to be on charge during the day while the bus is out at work. This would raise the cost a bit. Solar power is not free – but the cost of photovoltaic panels are dropping rapidly.
My own personal magic bus would be a hybrid bus with poles on – which seem to me to be a very straightforward thing to build, but I have not seen or heard of one yet. Though trolleybusses with an auxiliary power unit or even dual power diesel and electric trolley are in use elsewhere.
Stephen Rees
December 19, 2007 at 10:37 am
That is awesome! I hope they have more coming! I hope us in the US might see something like this in the future. I know when I make my dreaded once a month trip to the city for provisions it seems like I always get behind one of the busses and have to breathe that choking black exaust that makes me ill!
Awrsome idea and an awesome mission to eliminate pollution from mass transit vehicles!
I have wondered why trains do not adapt solar panels to the roofs of train cars to power them during sun filled days!
Peace,
Frank
frankknight
December 19, 2007 at 10:52 am
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