T42 Iot Track. Regulatory News (TRAC)

27 Feb 2007 07:05

Traction Technology PLC27 February 2007 For immediate release: 27 February 2007 Traction Technology Plc (AIM: TRAC) Hybrid Bus on trial with Arriva Southern Counties Traction Technology Plc ("Traction" or "the Company") announces that its latestenvironmentally friendly, low emission Series Diesel Electric Hybrid enginesystem will be going on trial with bus company Arriva Southern Counties ("ArrivaSC") in April 2007. The single-deck bus will be run by Arriva SC in the Surrey and West Sussexareas, on active routes, to gain real time experience and operational data onits performance with Traction's hybrid engine system. During the summer of 2007Traction will further collaborate with Arriva SC in the development of the nextgeneration of hybrid packages to fit across multiple original and retrofitplatforms. Arriva currently runs 6,500 buses nationally. Traction's hybrid technology powers buses from a battery pack via an electricmotor. The battery is kept fully charged by a 1.9 litre diesel engine, which isidentical in size to an engine in a family car (this compares with standardbuses that are typically powered by a four litre diesel engine). When thevehicle brakes, energy which would normally be wasted is also recycled and usedto charge the battery pack. Operational tests of Traction's hybrid systems haveshown that carbon dioxide ("CO2") emissions are reduced by 33%, nitrogen oxide("NOx") emissions by 38%, hydrocarbon ("HC") emissions by 99% and particulatesby 39% (source: Energy Saving Trust, 2004). In addition, fuel savings of over33% have been regularly achieved in trials, providing a further incentive foroperators (source: the Company). Traction is currently running a trial of its hybrid system with Transport forLondon ("TfL") operator Epsom Coaches on an Optare single-deck bus and isupgrading and refitting a further vehicle with Arriva NW that is operating onMerseytravel's CATCH Project. A further trial in Ipswich is scheduled to beginin March 2007. Nick Brayshaw, Chairman of Traction, commented: "There is growing awareness ofthe environmental benefits that hybrid technology can bring to reducing globalemissions. Traction's series hybrid engines are particularly well suited to thestop-start urban cycle of buses, as well as for delivery vans, refuse collectionvehicles and airport use. These trials will keep Traction at the forefront ofhybrid technology development." Ends For further information contact:Traction Technology plc Parkgreen Communications LimitedNick Brayshaw, Chairman Brendan McNamara / Lucy Lake+44 (0) 1403 791392 • +44 (0) 20 7851 7480 Beaumont Cornish LimitedRoland Cornish, Chairman+44 (0) 207 628 3396 Notes to Editors About the Company Traction was formed to exploit the growing demand for environmentally friendlytechnology. In May 2006 it acquired the assets, including the intellectualproperty, of Eneco Limited, a company in administration, which had previouslyoperated in this sector as a designer and manufacturer of hybrid power packs forinstallation into buses. How the technology works Traction's series hybrid power pack technology used in Hybrid electric vehicles("HEVs") differs from the parallel hybrid technology currently used in somepassenger cars. Under Traction's system, the vehicle's wheels are driven by anelectric traction motor powered by battery and recharged by diesel engine. Acontrol system determines how much power comes from the battery and how muchfrom the engine/generator at any one time. In parallel hybrids, there is adirect link between the engine and the wheels, where a normal internalcombustion engine is supplemented by an electric motor. The significant advantage of Traction's system is that, because the dieselengine is not directly connected to the wheels, it does not have to provide thewidely varying power demands of the stop-start cycle; it is therefore able tooperate in a narrow power range at close to optimum efficiency. This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange