wrote in message

On Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:28:03 +0000
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 09:50:09 on Mon, 19
Dec 2011, d remarked:
Oh dear. Not off to a good start then.

http://www.lbc.co.uk/new-routemaster...dy-photo-48777

Sounds like the battery went flat.

Who knows. Probably the hybrid drive system still has some issues to
sort out. On the radio they said it was going northbound so perhaps
they already knew about the problem and were trying to get it
somewhere to sort it out but didn't make it.

I speculate that the range-extender hybrid drive is designed for
stop-start operation, with the engine having lots of opportunities to
charge the battery when the bus is picking up pax or stoppd in traffic.
Regenerative brakes will also help keep the battery charged in
stop-start traffic. The engine may not have enough continuous output for
the bus to go long distances at relatively higher speeds on a motorway.
It's also possible that the battery wasn't fully charged at the start of
the journey. I wonder if, in normal operation, it's planned that the
batteries will be fully topped up overnight in the depot?

According to the Autocar review of the bus, the 4-cylinder diesel
generator has a max power of only 182bhp (which is less than my car),
which is used not only to charge the battery, but also to power the air
compressor for the brakes and steering. The battery is rated at 75kWh.