MBTA's new electric hybrid buses to be powered by BAE Systems

Jan. 3, 2019
The new buses will come with BAE Systems Series-ER extended range propulsion system.

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has ordered 194 electric-hybrid buses that will include BAE Systems Series-ER extended range propulsion system. 

The company says it is delivering its Series-ER system with a higher capacity battery to help Massachusetts reduce emissions and noise pollution on its transit bus routes. The Series-ER system – which uses electric motors instead of diesel engines to power the buses – builds on the company’s technology that is saving more than 22 million gallons of fuel and 250,000 tons of CO2 each year across the globe.

BAE notes that it has provided more than 10,000 electric-hybrid, battery-electric and fuel-cell electric systems with half of those deliveries made in the past three years. 

“Our new technology provides Massachusetts with an innovative and practical electric-hybrid solution,” said Steve Trichka, vice president and general manager of the Power and Propulsion Solutions business at BAE Systems. “This system provides clean electric operation that can be rapidly scaled now to help Massachusetts reap the benefits seen in thousands of buses worldwide.”

BAE explains that by moving to a Series-ER system, a fleet can operate a portion of the day electrically with the engine off, reducing maintenance, idling, fuel use and emissions.

"Transit operators are embracing this technology because it gives them zero emission travel without the need to stop and charge the bus and it eliminates the need to invest in costly charging infrastructure. Cities like Nashville are using Series-ER technology to drive on battery-electric power near hospitals, schools and in the downtown tourist area, and Boston plans to use the technology to drive through their tunnels with zero emissions," the company stated. 

About the Author

Mischa Wanek-Libman | Editor in Chief

Mischa Wanek-Libman serves as editor in chief of Mass Transit magazine. She is responsible for developing and maintaining the magazine’s editorial direction and is based in the western suburbs of Chicago.

Wanek-Libman has spent more than 20 years covering transportation issues including construction projects and engineering challenges for various commuter railroads and transit agencies. She has been recognized for editorial excellence through her individual work, as well as for collaborative content. 

She is an active member of the American Public Transportation Association's Marketing and Communications Committee and serves as a Board Observer on the National Railroad Construction and Maintenance Association (NRC) Board of Directors.  

She is a graduate of Drake University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a major in magazine journalism and a minor in business management.