GWR's battery train goes into service

 I've talked about these trains before, here and here, but they were previously still in test mode.  Now, passenger services have started.  GWR is testing them on this short stretch of track under real operating conditions, and if they work here, they will be rolled out to other branch lines where the traction is currently diesel.  The discussion of the battery chemistry is interesting. 

This way of reducing CO2 and diesel emissions from rail is one that could be copied by other countries, including those with bigger distances between towns, like Australia and Canada.    

The BYD Shark hybrid ute

From Drive

The BYD Shark has finally been fully unveiled, with the first ute from the giant Chinese car brand due in Australia by the end of [2024] also representing the first plug-in hybrid pick-up to reach local showrooms.

It claims fuel consumption of 7.5 litres per 100km – similar to a four-cylinder diesel – in hybrid mode, and up to 100km of driving range on electric propulsion alone, but if BYD's claims are accurate, more power and quicker acceleration than a twin-turbo petrol V6 Ford Ranger Raptor.

The Shark is larger than a Ford Ranger or Toyota HiLux – but smaller than a Ford F-150 or Ram 1500 – and mirrors their use of ladder-frame underpinnings, with a braked towing capacity of 2500kg.

Another key distinction from other top-selling utes is the use of passenger vehicle-like independent rear suspension – in addition to independent front suspension, which is common in the category – which could enhance off-road performance but reduce its performance when laden.

The Shark is fitted with a relatively small 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine, but it is paired with two electric motors – divided between front and rear axles – for a combined power output of "more than" 316kW.

BYD claims a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 5.7 seconds in hybrid mode – as quick as a Honda Civic Type R hot hatch, and about four seconds quicker than Australia's top-selling four-cylinder diesel utes.

If BYD's claims prove true, the Shark would be quicker and more powerful than the Ford Ranger Raptor – Australia's quickest ute, excluding full-size V8 US pick-ups – which has a 292kW/583Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6, and has completed 0-100km/h in 6.0 seconds in Drive's testing.

BYD claims up to 100km of electric driving range from the Shark's plug-in battery pack – or, in hybrid mode, fuel consumption of 7.5L/100km, and a total driving range of 840km, based on NEDC lab testing.

For context, a dual cab Ford Ranger bi-turbo diesel quotes 7.2L/100km – with auto engine stop-start technology fitted – and a claimed driving range of approximately 1100km.

The Shark is billed as having "the world's first longitudinal electric hybrid system," with illustrations released by BYD showing all four wheels are driven by the electric motors – and the petrol engine can only directly drive the front wheels.

It is said the hybrid system "prioritises electric motor propulsion for up to 80 per cent of total journeys."

The battery pack can be recharged from 30 to 80 per cent in a claimed 20 minutes. Vehicle-to-load technology allows the Shark's battery to power external electrical devices while camping.

The Shark will beat the Ford Ranger PHEV to showrooms as the first plug-in hybrid ute on sale in Australia.

Based on a ladder-frame chassis – with independent front and rear suspension – the Shark measures 5457mm long, 1971mm wide and 1925mm tall, on a 3260mm wheelbase.

It is 87mm longer nose to tail, 53mm wider and 39mm taller than a Ford Ranger Wildtrak, but has a 10mm-shorter wheelbase.

BYD quotes a payload of up to 835kg, and a 2500kg braked towing capacity – down on the 1000kg and 3500kg respectively of the benchmarks in the ute class – plus a 1450-litre tray volume, compared to a Ford Ranger's 1233L.

The car maker says 54 per cent of the body is made from high-strength steel, and "the battery is part of the chassis structure with a structural rigidity of up to 38 per cent."

The split of torque between the front and rear wheels can be varied, BYD says, and three 'terrain' modes – Snow, Mud and Sand – are offered for off-road use.

The Shark is priced at A$57,900, and so far, it has received 5,500 orders.

Locos which keep going when the wire ends

I was doing some research on "bi-mode" or "dual-mode" locomotives, which can use both electric power from an overhead catenary, as well as diesel power.   Diesel-electric locos already use electric engines to turn the wheels: the diesel engine drives an electric generator which in turn drives the wheels.  Why this apparently inefficient arrangement?  Because an electric engine can provide full torque at zero RPM, unlike plain diesel engines, allowing for faster acceleration from stops.  

Locos which can use both diesel and electricity as energy sources are called electro-diesel locos, whereas, locos using a diesel motor to drive an electric generator are called diesel-electric.  Some diesel-electric locos also have a battery to allow for a larger power draw during acceleration.  

Obviously, if the loco is on a stretch of track where there is electric power, then it would make sense to use the electricity available to run the loco's electric engine.  That is exactly what Siemens Vectron Dual-Mode locomotives does.

From Siemens website:

 

Vectron Dual Mode – keeps going where the wire ends

The Vectron Dual Mode is the up-to-date answer to changing route requirements. The dual power locomotives unite the advantages of full-featured diesel locomotives with those of electric locomotives. This combination empowers you to respond flexibly at all times to your traction requirements – so you'll always keep moving, with or without an overhead wire.

Whenever an overhead wire is available, it should be used. Electrical operation is much more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than diesel operation. But because Germany [and the UK, Australia, the USA .....] will continue to have many non-electrified sections of track for a long time to come, many diesel locomotives still run under an overhead wire – without actually using it. This makes very little economic or ecological sense. The Vectron Dual Mode excels in both operating modes, offering a real alternative to diesel-only operation.

Whether you want to react flexibly to unplanned diversions or boost environmental performance in conurbations: the Vectron Dual Mode offers you a wealth of advantages in your day-to-day operations.

With the Vectron Dual Mode, you'll handle a wide range of traction tasks much more economically than with a standard diesel locomotive. Every kilometre saves fuel, and thereby reduces energy costs. You'll also reduce the number of hours your diesel alternator set is operating. Altogether, you'll benefit from a reduction in energy and maintenance costs of up to 53%.  [The savings obviously depend on what percentage of the total network is electrified.  On the other hand, diesel locos have to keep running even when they are stationary.  Given that hybrid cars use up to 40% less fuel than petrol cars because the engines don't run when the car is stationary, and also because they recharge their battery as they slow down or go down a hill, significant energy savings appear quite possible, provided the loco also has a battery.]

The issue of environmental pollution is becoming increasingly important in cities and metropolitan areas. With the Vectron Dual Mode, you'll make an important contribution to sustainable freight transport. By taking advantage of electricity wherever possible, you reduce carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter emissions. This lets you reduce your annual local emissions by 950t of CO2, 6t of nitrogen oxides and 37kg of particulate matter compared with a standard diesel locomotive – and significantly improve your fleet's environmental performance.  [Again, the percentage of electrified track will alter these numbers.  For example, only 10% of Australia's railway track is electrified.  However, a much larger percentage of track in urban areas and conurbations is electrified, and a larger percentage of total traffic takes place on these networks.  For example, in Victoria, V-Line trains which serve regional and country destinations travel for part of their journey on electrified tracks.  On my journeys from a provincial town 200 kms from the city into the big smoke, half the distance is electrified.]

There is another advantage.  To extend existing electrified sections, installing overhead electric wires has to be done from the edge of the existing electrification to the next station or to a depot, which makes for substantial lump-sum outlays.  In other words, it has to be done in expensive chunks.  With a bi-mode loco, electrification can proceed at, say, 5 kilometres at a time, so that the electrified network can be gradually extended over time.  The loco just keeps going under diesel power when it reaches the end of the wire.  Also, the electrified sectors don't need to be contiguous, as the diesel engine could be used across the gaps.  

A good idea.

See also:

• Battery-powered electric trains
• Battery-powered vs fuel-cell trains

You can donate solar panels to Ukraine

From CleanTechnica

There’s news week after week, or day after day, lately regarding Ukrainians not having electricity due to Russia bombing the country’s power infrastructure. To be technical about it, this is terrorism. It is outside the bounds of war. Imagine going into winter without power or heat. If you want to help more Ukrainians get power via solar panels, here’s a reminder that you can donate to organizations getting Ukrainians such technology. The following is from an article I published a couple of weeks ago on this:

The World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) and the Global 100% Renewable Energy Platform Global100RE, with the support of Global100RE Ambassador Ruslana, initially made the call for support buying and deploying solar panels and wind turbines back in March. At the time, they had already deployed 1000 mobile solar sets.

You can reach out to WWEA through their contact form or email — renewables4ukraine@wwindea.org — to discuss donations, or you can simply donate money via PayPal or credit card and it will be used to purchase and donate such clean energy equipment. Just be sure to indicate renewables4ukraine in the notes. (If you need a receipt for tax write-off purposes, WWEA can provide one.)

Russia has been bombing civilians and civilian infrastructure just to terrorize and simply murder as many Ukrainians as possible. I know that it’s overwhelming to follow any of this and realize we can’t do enough to help. However, doing a little bit to help is still help. And it all adds up.

Frankly, at this time of the year (Northern Hemisphere winter) diesel auxiliary generators might be more useful.

 

Diesel emissions 1000 times normal level

Source: Transport & Environment.
Note: logarithmic scale

From Transport & Environment:

New diesel cars’ pollution is peaking at more than 1,000 times their normal levels, tests of two top-selling vehicles show. The dangerous spikes in particles can instantly stress the heart and are a result of the cars cleaning their filters, which may occur in urban areas, last for up to 15km, and are effectively ignored by official emissions tests. More than 45 million cars carry these filters in Europe, causing a total of 1.3 billion filter cleanings a year.

Transport & Environment (T&E), which commissioned the independent lab tests, said lawmakers must accept that diesels are still highly-polluting and should make emissions limits and testing more stringent.

The Nissan Qashqai and Opel Astra, the second and fourth bestsellers in their segments respectively, were 32% to 115% over the legal limit for particles when they cleaned their filters in the independent tests. But a loophole means that the legal limit does not apply when filter cleaning occurs in official testing, meaning that 60-99% of regulated particle emissions from the tested vehicles are ignored.

Anna Krajinska, emissions engineer at T&E, said: “These tests show that new diesels are still not clean. In fact they are spewing out highly-dangerous levels of particles in our towns and highways everyday. Carmakers are being given an easy ride but people’s lungs are paying for it. Manufacturers should clean up their cars if they want to sell them.”

Harmful total particulate emissions from the Nissan Qashqai and Opel Astra further increased 11-184% when the smallest unregulated ultrafine particles were measured in the lab. These ultrafine particles are not measured in official tests but are thought to be the most harmful to human health – as they penetrate deep into the body – and have been linked with brain cancer.

Filter cleaning, to prevent the diesel particulate filter from clogging, can occur in all driving conditions, including in urban areas. In the tests, the number of particles continued to be higher during urban driving for 30 minutes after the cleaning had ended. Both models tested respected the legal limits for NOx.

ICEVs (petrol and diesel vehicles) don't just add to atmospheric CO2, bringing climate catastrophe ever closer, they also contribute to air pollution which kills millions every year across the globe.  Time to go electric.  Even if we switch to hybrids, we will still emissions 40% or more, and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) will cut emissions by 80%.