There are also equivalent types of electric rail vehicle.tonyp wrote:In the latest October issue of their house magazine, DP Kontakt, DPP Prague (the city operator) clarifies further the details and definition of the Prague project. Unfortunately it's a PDF and in Czech, so I can't reproduce the useful diagrams, but they have better-defined the types of electric bus.
Analogous to most electric rail vehicles, including most trams.tonyp wrote:At the first level there is the traditional trolleybus that runs 100% on overhead wire. Production of these has diminished in recent years and will eventually cease, if they haven't already.
And this is my preferred option. They draw power from the overhead wires when under them and only run on battery power away from them. Dual straight-electric/battery electric drive also exists on some trams. I favour this for many kinds of road vehicle. I have even fantasised about making electric passenger cars like this, using special high reach trolley-poles.tonyp wrote:Next there is the partial trolleybus that has batteries and can run 10-30% of its service on batteries and only requires overhead wire for 70-90% of its run. This is now the standard type of trolleybus in recent years.
The first type is also a "partial trolleybus".tonyp wrote:Next there are two types of autonomous electric bus. The first (the type being tested in Prague) DPP now calls a dynamic electric bus because it can charge on the move (supplemented by static recharge at termini and at the depot). This can run 70-80% of its service on batteries and 10-30% on overhead wire. The alternative in-ground induction recharge method would also be considered a dynamic electric bus, but the system is so costly that it's unlikely to be a practical proposition.
This is much like nearly all electric passenger cars, and also to any combustion-engined vehicle as these are only ever refuelled when stationary, usually only at service stations or at depots. But battery electric cars are well suited to city driving, where the range of the battery is (more than) enough for short trips.tonyp wrote:Finally, there is the static electric bus that runs entirely on batteries with static (stationary) recharges at termini and/or at the depot. This is the only one of the four types that has a range limitation and the bigger the bus, the greater the range limitation.