DesignLine EcoSaver IV

DesignLine EcoSaver IV
Years of manufacture	1998 to present
Length	35 or 40 feet
Width	96 or 102 inches

The DesignLine EcoSaver IV is a diesel-electric hybrid transit bus operating globally. The buses use a fossil-fuel turbine instead of a traditional engine to generate electricity. The stored electricity is used to power traction motors. Designline boasted a 100% improvement in fuel economy over regular diesel buses, and could achieve seven to eight miles per gallon compared to traditional hybrid buses which achieve three to four miles per gallon.^[1]

The EcoSaver, then known as the Olymbus, was developed to compete in a bid for environmentally friendly buses during the Sydney Olympics. It did not win the bid, however in 1998, the hybrid buses were introduced on a free downtown shuttle in Christchurch, New Zealand. There have been four iterations of the Olymbus (MK-I to MK-IV). The introduction of the EcoSaver name was coincident with the introduction of the bus to the United States in 2007.

The Olymbus was designed with unique styling. It used a tapered, rounded body with asymmetrical windscreen and projector headlights. New york City's buses were the first to use DesignLine's newer curved body in a 102 inch width and 40-foot length.

In August 2013, DesignLine filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Wonderland Investment Group purchased the assets of DesignLine, which included their product line, in October 2013 for $1.6 million. The company was renamed Environmental Performance Vehicles (EPV Corp.) in 2014.

Specifications

Dimensions

Length: 35 or 40 feet
Width: 96 or 102 inches
Height: 121 inches

Generator

Capstone C30 or C65 MicroTurbine (CNG, Diesel, Gasoline, LNG, LPG)

Motors

2 x Bosch RexRoth Idramat 3-phase AC Induction 335 hp (total)

Power Storage

80 Hawker Genesis 42 amp hour and 4 42 amp hour control
NiMH
Li+

HVAC

Thermo King LRT
Thermo King T Series
Carrier Transicold

Suspension

ZF air

Axles

Front: ZF 85A
Rear: ZF A-132
MAN
Meritor

Operators

Australia

State Transit Authority - Sydney, NSW (demo)
Ventura Bus Lines - Melbourne, VIC

Hong Kong

Park Island Transport Co - Ma Wan Island, NT (retired)

Japan

Hinomaru Limousine - Tokyo
Tokyo Electric Power Company - Yokohama

New Zealand

Red Bus - Christchurch (retired)
Stagecoach - Auckland

United Kingdom

Stagecoach - Newcastle (retired)

United States

Arlington Transit - Arlington County, VA (retired)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport Shuttle Service - Charlotte, NC (retired)
Charm City Circulator (operated by Veolia Transportation) - Baltimore, MD (retired)
Denver RTD - Denver, CO (retired)
Disney Transport - Lake Buena Vista, FL (retired)
Metropolitan Transportation Authority - New York, NY (retired)
Wachovia Bank - Charlotte, NC (demos)

Production list

Below is a list of known Olymbus / EcoSaver IV buses.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Owner	Fleet number	Year	VIN	Body	Engine	Notes
State Transit Authority	no# (2 units)	1997?		34-foot 'Olymbus' body	VW 1.7L (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered in Feb. 1998. Returned to builder, components recycled in Red Bus 201-202.
Red Bus	201,200,202 (3 units)	1998	7A874000997119001-003	33?-foot 'Olymbus' body	VW? (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered in Dec. 1998. Converted in 2000 to Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (LPG).^[5] One bus leased to TEPCo (Japan) Nov.-Dec. 2010 and showcased at the Yokohama Vehicle Show. Retired, for sale.^[6]
Red Bus	203 (1 unit)	2001	7A874000901119004	33?-foot 'Olymbus' body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (LPG)	Built in New Zealand, delivered in June 2001. Retired, for sale.
Tokyo Electric Power Company	no# (1 unit)	2001		34-foot 'Olymbus' body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered circa March 2001. Based at the Yokohama Thermal Power Station. Status unknown.
Park Island Transport	no# (3 units)	2002-2003	7A874000902006018 7A874000903006019 7A874000903006020	34-foot 'Olymbus' body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered in Mar. 2003. Model "Olymbus MK-II HEV". 2 units retired and cannibalized. All units offered for sale in May 2010.^[7]
Stagecoach NZ	101-103 (3 units)	2003	7A874000903006021-023	34-foot 'Olymbus' body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered in May 2003.^[8] Currently stored.
Stagecoach UK	80009/61001 (1 unit)	2003	7A874000903006024	34-foot 'Olymbus' body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered in May 2003 to Stagecoach NZ.^[8] Tested for 6 months in Auckland as number 100. Delivered to Stagecoach UK in Apr. 2004. Eventually renumbered 61001. Stored ^[9] then retired.
Hinomaru Limousine	EV-01 to EV-03, EV-05 (4 units)	2003?		34-foot 'Olymbus' body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (CNG)	Built in New Zealand, delivered in 2003. EV-01 and EV-05 used on Marunouchi Shuttle. EV-02 and EV-03 used on Metrolink Nihonbashi since Mar. 2004.
Stagecoach UK	61002-61010 (9 units)	2005	7A874000905006032-040	34-foot 'Olymbus' body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered June-July 2005. Stored ^[9] then retired.
Wachovia Bank	no# (2 units)	2007?		34-foot 'Olymbus' body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered May 2007. "Olymbus MK-IV/ECOSaver IV" model. Launched at the Wachovia Championship Golf Tournament in May 2007. Demoed with MTA NYCT as 9900 from Oct. to Dec. 2007. ^[10] Demoed with Disney Transport in Feb. 2008. Demoed with LYNX. Demoed with CTA from June to July 2008. ^[11] Displayed at APTA conference (San Diego CA) in Oct. 2008 with new wrap.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport Shuttle Service	77450-77451	2007	7DL2200297A006046 7DL2200207A006047	34-foot 'Olymbus' body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered Oct. 2007. One bus damaged by fire May 2011. Sold at auction September 20, 2014.
Disney Transport	4984 (1 unit)	2008?		42-foot 'Citibus' North American body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine?	Built in New Zealand, delivered Dec. 2008.^[12]^[13] Retired, may have suffered a major failure.^[14]
Ventura Bus Lines	200 (1 unit)	2008	7DL300V278A006045	40-foot 'Olymbus' body	VW 2.0L TDI (diesel)	Built in New Zealand, delivered Mar. 2009.
NYC MTA	1302-1306 (5 units)	2009	1D9422T3_9C665007-011	42-foot 'Citibus' North American body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine or C65 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in North Carolina, deliveries started June 2009. Order for 90 units cancelled Feb. 2011, existing buses have been returned.^[15] Former 1306 tested at Altoona May 2011-June 2012.^[16] Buses 1302, 1304 and 1305 to Charlotte Douglas International Airport Shuttle Service; sold at auction on September 20, 2014.
Charm City Circulator (Veolia)	0901-0913 (13 units)	2009-2010	1D9422T3_9C665012-023, 1D9352T32AC665026	42-foot 'Olymbus' North American body (0913 is 35-foot)	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in North Carolina, deliveries started June 2009. ^[17] Order for 21 reduced to 13, existing buses will be phased out.^[18]
Charlotte Douglas International Airport Shuttle Service	79704-79708 (5 units)	2010	1D9352T34AC665027 1D9352T36AC665028 1D9352T38AC665029 1D9352T34AC665030 1D9352T36AC665031	35-foot 'Olymbus' North American body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (diesel)	Built in North Carolina.^[19] Sold at auction September 20, 2014.
Arlington Transit	5047-5049	2012	1D9352T3XAC665047 1D9352T31AC665048 1D9352T33AC665049	35-foot 'Olymbus' North American body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine? (CNG)	Delivered circa Sept. 2012.^[20]
Denver RTD	1640-1641 (2 units)	2011	1D9422T31BC665050 and 1D9422T33BC665051	45-foot 'Citibus' North American body	Capstone C30 MicroTurbine (biodiesel)	Delivered Spring 2011.^[21] 16th Street Mall shuttle. 3 doors, full-length low floor.

References

↑ CTA to Evaluate Battery-Powered Hybrid Electric Bus, * CTA Press Release
↑ Bus Lists on the Web
↑ Omnibus Society Fleet Notes
↑ Australia Bus FleetLists
↑ Christchurch Shuttle Passengers Exceed One Million, nzine.co.nz, retrieved on 2010-07-10
↑ Electric Bus auction, trademe.co.nz, retrieved on 2012-09-21
↑ Designline Olymbus Hybrid Electric Public Buses, go-dove.com, retrieved 2010-07-08
↑ ^8.0 ^8.1 Beware! Here comes super-quiet bus, nzherald.co.nz, retrieved on 2010-07-09
↑ ^9.0 ^9.1 Versa's replace Designlines on Quaylink, www.focustransport.org.uk, retrieved on 2011-03-10
↑ MTA DesignLine demonstrator bus, rmcconnell.com, retrieved on 2010-07-06
↑ CTA Testing Innovative New Hybrid Bus, chicagobus.org, retrieved on 2010-07-06
↑ New Hybrid Bus, wdwmagic.com, retrieved on 2010-07-06
↑ Designline turbine hybrid buses for Disney World?, cptdb.ca, retrieved on 2010-07-06
↑ Status of Disney Transport Designline order?, cptdb.ca, retrieved on 2010-07-06
↑ End of the DesignLine for new buses, secondavenuesagas.com, retrieved on 2011-02-04
↑ Designline USA, LLC Enhanced Electric, altoonabustest.com, retrieved on 2012-11-06
↑ Clean And Green DesignLine Hybrid Bus Rolls Into Service In Baltimore, allbusiness.com, retrieved on 2010-07-08
↑ Circulator marks a year on the streets, Baltimore Sun, retrieved 2011-01-12
↑ Charlotte/Douglas Buys Hybrid Buses, environmentalleader.com, retrieved on 2011-06-20
↑ ART Debuting New CNG Electric Hybrid Buses, arlingtontransit.com, retrieved on 2012-09-21
↑ New bus design is headed to Denver’s 16th Street Mall, inside-lane.com, retrieved on 2010-07-09

DesignLine International opens hybrid bus plant in Charlotte, charlottechamber.com, retrieved 09-01-09
Personal notes & sightings

[CTA-1] CTA to Evaluate Battery-Powered Hybrid Electric Bus, * CTA Press Release

[2] Bus Lists on the Web

[3] Omnibus Society Fleet Notes

[4] Australia Bus FleetLists

[5] Christchurch Shuttle Passengers Exceed One Million, nzine.co.nz, retrieved on 2010-07-10

[6] Electric Bus auction, trademe.co.nz, retrieved on 2012-09-21

[7] Designline Olymbus Hybrid Electric Public Buses, go-dove.com, retrieved 2010-07-08

[Auckland-8] 8.0 ^8.1 Beware! Here comes super-quiet bus, nzherald.co.nz, retrieved on 2010-07-09

[Quaylink-9] 9.0 ^9.1 Versa's replace Designlines on Quaylink, www.focustransport.org.uk, retrieved on 2011-03-10

[10] MTA DesignLine demonstrator bus, rmcconnell.com, retrieved on 2010-07-06

[11] CTA Testing Innovative New Hybrid Bus, chicagobus.org, retrieved on 2010-07-06

[12] New Hybrid Bus, wdwmagic.com, retrieved on 2010-07-06

[13] Designline turbine hybrid buses for Disney World?, cptdb.ca, retrieved on 2010-07-06

[14] Status of Disney Transport Designline order?, cptdb.ca, retrieved on 2010-07-06

[15] End of the DesignLine for new buses, secondavenuesagas.com, retrieved on 2011-02-04

[16] Designline USA, LLC Enhanced Electric, altoonabustest.com, retrieved on 2012-11-06

[17] Clean And Green DesignLine Hybrid Bus Rolls Into Service In Baltimore, allbusiness.com, retrieved on 2010-07-08

[18] Circulator marks a year on the streets, Baltimore Sun, retrieved 2011-01-12

[19] Charlotte/Douglas Buys Hybrid Buses, environmentalleader.com, retrieved on 2011-06-20

[20] ART Debuting New CNG Electric Hybrid Buses, arlingtontransit.com, retrieved on 2012-09-21

[21] New bus design is headed to Denver’s 16th Street Mall, inside-lane.com, retrieved on 2010-07-09

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DesignLine EcoSaver IV

Contents

Specifications