The B320 Project: A low cost, highly efficient, retrofitable hybrid system for bus applications

The B320 Project will develop an innovative, low-cost, series hybrid powertrain that can be retrofitted into existing buses. The UK’s public transport bus fleet uses nearly 1 billion litres of fuel per year, and emits high levels of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, both of which are recognised sources of respiratory disease. Coupled with the environmental impact of CO2 emissions, and financial burden of importing vast quantities of oil, reducing fuel consumption in buses is vitally important. Existing hybrid buses go some way to alleviating these problems, but are very expensive and have so far only proven popular when the government has subsidised their purchase. With our hybrid retrofit system, we will be able to reduce the upfront cost of hybridising our bus fleets by 71%, fuel consumption will be slashed by 40%, and the retrofit capability will allow ageing fuel-hungry buses to clean up their act.