Government seals deal for 90 new electric buses for Canberra

How much of the existing ICE powered bus fleet’s fuel storage is allocated to heating and cooling and do they have extra emergency exits in case they catch fire, which statistically happens more frequently than EVs?

Capital Retro clearly needs these important questions answered because he’s just interested in transport comfort and safety and is in no way biased against any form of new technology.

It’s so easy to ridicule the enquirer than answer the question.

But that’s what you lefties do, isn’t it?

Well it is funny how you’ve never asked the exact same question every time a new bus order has been announced in the past.

What a sad little campaign lol.

Haha, last week I was being called a right wing conservative on this website, now I’m a “leftie”?

And the reason I mock your question is already highlighted in my original response.

You don’t actually care about the issues you’re inquiring on and have never raised it in the past around the ICE powered buses that we’ve had for decades. Buses that have equal or higher risks relating to the same issues.

Actually, the article states that the buses use lithium-ion phosphate batteries. This chemistry is less likely to result in thermal runaway (leading to fire) under extreme impact than the original NCA battery chemistry, so the risk is even lesser.
And, yes, I’m sure many readers here are tired of the repeating negative and ill-informed commentary on this subject.

We haven’t bought electric buses before – as I said to chewy14, you lefties are all the same. Actually, you are beyond sad.

“We haven’t bought electric buses before”

So you’re really saying that you are actually fearful of change along with things you don’t understand.

Sounds about right.

Capital Retro, your specific questions were answered clearly by chewy14 in his first paragraph. The fact you will neither acknowledge nor admit that, nor raise any argument against, speaks of a lack of good faith. Some people may select alternative terms but that makes no difference to the obvious reality.

You have previously allowed without reply the facts that over 80% of the population and nigh on 100% of client scientists disagree with you on the key issues underlying this discussion: climate change and responses to it. if being with the 80%/100% classes anyone with “lefties” then I for one am willing to suffer your disapprobation for it because I know the extent to which that matters; or does not.

My recollection is that near 50% preferentially vote for some form of conservative, leaving you out on the fringe by your own definition of those “left” of you.

I didn’t raise the risk of fire , but everyone seems to be defending it. The point is that IF an electric bus catches fire the spread is very fast and allowances have to be made for this.

And by the way, nobody has come forward with the information I requested. It’s all “look over there, is that a Unicorn?”

Capital Retro,
You asked if there were “extra” emergency exits due to fire. You cleary raised the risk of fire.

And hilariously once again you’ve provided incorrect information, EV fires have a slower spread than ICE fires, you defeat your own predetermined position.

And by the way, no one needs to answer your ridiculous questions, the risks of the current buses are higher than the yet to be delivered EV buses.

If you were actually worried about passenger safety and comfort, you’d be arguing against the the current buses in service.

But you aren’t.

Because you don’t actually care about facts, you just like whinging about things you don’t like.

Your position is most definitely sad.

I have looked for records of bus fires in Canberra and there only appears to have been two, ever.

Just saying.

“It takes five to ten minutes for a combustion engine car fire to develop to its full extent.”

“With an electric car, the fire spreads more rapidly and it takes seconds for a fully developed fire which releases carbon monoxide, other toxic gas emissions, and in some cases can produce large explosions⁴. “

Source: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/fileadmin/user_upload/tx_tevprojects/library/file_1649674339.pdf

You are wrong again, chewy.

Did you seriously just link to an article that quotes one person’s opinion from another article about a specific fire as evidence? Hahahaha.

The single quoted opinion you’ve referenced was also talking about after thermal runaway has occurred and the fire started. Problem being that people would be exiting these vehicles well before this has occurred for EV vehicles.

Here, I can play the same game:

“EV fires are slow to start, enabling occupants to escape more safely – unlike potentially explosive petrol fires.”

https://thedriven.io/2021/11/17/fire-beware-of-electric-car-urban-myths-including-those-by-car-writers/

Also funny that the same article you’ve quoted says:

In principle, however, fire brigades say that e-vehicles do not pose a higher risk of fire than “combustion engines” . The self-ignition of a vehicle without external influence is extremely rare.”

You clearly didn’t even read it, hahaha.

The fire event the article is discussing was also caused by hybrid powered vehicles which have been shown to be a higher fire risk, with ICE only powered vehicles lower risk and EV only powered vehicles the lowest risk of all.

Getting funnier.

Oh and last of all, the types of batteries in the buses we’ve bought aren’t older lithium ion batteries, that were discussed in your article.

“The buses are powered by lithium-ion phosphate batteries”

Which has a much lower chance of fire/explosion due to reduced risk of thermal runaway.

Bahahahaha, it truly is hilarious to watch you flop around on this issue.

We were talking about the need to exit a vehicle on fire, not the risk of it catching fire.

Clearly, an EV fire takes hold faster that one in a conventional vehicle thus the need to have enough exits on battery electric powered buses.

You are only an expert in changing the subject to suit your narrative, chewy.

“We were talking about the need to exit a vehicle on fire, not the risk of it catching fire.”

Exactly and it was answered in my last comment through multiple points. Points that you’ve just ignored.

Once again for the local situation you claim to be talking about:

“The buses are powered by lithium-ion phosphate batteries”

They are both far less likely to catch fire than an ICE vehicle and due to their chemistry, much slower to cause a fire.

But chewy, you still can’t tell me if these eBuses have more exit doors?

I know it’s not a question that invites drawing on your superior knowledge which I am totally ignorant about and that makes you angry but even an scientific minnow like me has a right to an answer.

Capital Retro,
The answer to your inane question is no.

Because they don’t need them due to the fact that the risk from the existing fleet of buses is actually higher than for these new ones and they need to have been approved under the Australian design rules before being available for use here regardless.

Even for the slow, this should be simple enough to understand.

And now that you have your answer, I await your campaign to have the existing buses either retrofitted with extra exits or removed from service due to the clear excess danger they place on passengers.

Won’t hold my breath though, you’re known for a selective memory and repeating the same discredited points ad nauseum.

Thanks for that, chewy. I can see I am getting through to you at last.

That doesn’t look like the start of your safety campaign on diesel buses.

Chop chop old fella, people are literally dying across Australia because of the safety risk you’ve identified and are passionate about addressing.

Its not all about global pollution levels. These will reduce diesel particulate pollution we experience in canberra. DpM is associated with a variety of long term health effects such as cancer. Buying less diesel also sends less money to morally questionable sheiks and oligarchs.

“There is nothing incorrect or difficult to understand in what I’ve said.”

“while China, for instance, is allowed to build 2 new coal plants a day”

LOL.

Oh goodie, we should have just stayed at home during WW2 – because we are too small to impact anything.

That’d be the same China well on track to have 1/3 of its electricity supplied by renewables in the next year or two (given the size of its demand profile). They face the challenge of not only trying to transition the existing grid, but rapidly expand their overall supply to meet increasing demand. So a much tougher job then most advanced economies face.

China well on track to have 1/3 of its electricity supplied by renewables in the next year or two. Do you believe this?

The money is going to the Chinese dictator instead who continues down his own garden path. Yutong (officially Zhengzhou Yutong Group Co., Ltd.) is a Chinese manufacturer of commercial vehicles, especially electric buses, headquartered in Zhengzhou, Henan.