Hyundai to Build Electric Bus Reducing Urban Pollution

Does “EB” have the same ring to it as “EV”? We are talking about Hyundai's electric bus.

That’s “electric bus” and “electric vehicle,” respectively. And yes, we know an electric bus is an electric vehicle, of course, but it’s a Friday and we’re having a little fun. Hyundai, though, is serious about producing an electric bus for city use.

2018 Launch Planned for Hyundai Electric Bus

The buses will launch in South Korea next year if all goes according to plan, following a full unveiling later this month. It’s actually Hyundai’s second try at producing an electric bus – the first was thwarted by poor market response, mainly due to a lack of charging stations.

Vital Stats About Hyundai Electric Bus

The bus has been under development for eight years, and it will have a 256 kWh battery and an expected range of 180 miles (290 km). It will be unveiled next week at the Hyundai Truck and Bus Mega Fair, a commercial vehicle exhibition that’s put on by the company. The show will be held just northwest of Seoul at the KINTEX exhibition hall.

“Previously, we launched two versions of the ‘zero-emission’ electric bus but it was not successful in terms of market response due to the lack of charging stations,” a company spokesman told the Korea Herald.

Urban Pollution Could Be Reduced

A zero-emission bus seems like a good idea, as a city fleet of these things could go a long way to lowering urban pollution. Recharge times are listed by Hyundai at “several hours”, and the 180-mile range should be enough for a bus to run its daily route a few times before it needs to get more juice. With enough buses in the fleet and proper planning, no bus should miss scheduled service due to needing a recharge. Privately-operated buses that operate from city to city will be limited to short routes, but 180 miles still allows a fair amount of ground to be covered.