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| This composite hybrid powered bus was originally built for RET, the public transit company of the city of Rotterdam, but the project was abandoned after achieving disappointing results. Formerly known as the X97, this bus was the result of a collaborative effort of RET, Fokker Special Products (now part of Stork Fokker AESP Aerospace Group) and the now defunct coach building company Den Oudsten, and the City of Rotterdam.
The picture above is actually that of the first of two buses of this type produced. It was unfortunately lost as the direct result of a mandatory, conform European Union standards, prolonged brake test which caused the device that dissipated the regenerative energy produced by the traction motor to overheat and ultimately set the entire bus on fire. The second prototype of the X97 was shown at the Busworld Show in Kortrijk, Belgium in October 1999.
External differences can easily be spotted. Extensive energy management revisions, to prevent recurrence of the problem that caused the loss of the first prototype, required more room for equipment on the roof and thus the storage box was extended. The area below the front window is not painted black and created a different visual impression. There is also a slight difference in the design of the headlights. These buses were made with the same Modular Lightweight Body technique pioneered by Fokker and has, for instance, been used since with the Phileas bus project of Eindhoven (NL). Traction was provided by a motor originally developed for use with streetcars which was directly coupled to a differential with a 5:1 power transfer ratio. As it turned out, the power consumption of this traction motor combined with that of the other electric equipment on board at peak loads unfortunately exceeded the capacity of the generator thus significantly impeding its performance. |
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