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Electric Buses Are Hurting the Oil Industry

bloomberg.com

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Re: Electric Buses Are Hurting the Oil Industry

#11

Post by nothrabannosir »

losteric wrote: post #7
nothrabannosir wrote: post #5

Is this a submarine PR ad for the Chinese government? Not to take away from the objective positivity of the actual facts, but it feels eerily cheerleady. Almost childish, if nothing else… I count at least five pointless “ha ha look who’s laughing now” and “China is leading the world” in this, and a surprising lack of counterbalance. Perhaps I’m just seeing things? But yes: great.

I think you are seeing things. China is mentioned because they had the worst pollution problems, seriously invested in electric, and are now realizing the payoff. The numbers support the narrative.

You’re probably right. Perfunctory research into the author reveals a focus on clean energy, and very few articles at all about China.

I’ve become paranoid about astroturfing.

Re: Electric Buses Are Hurting the Oil Industry

#13

Post by airstrike »

sfifs wrote: post #8

While the reducing pollution piece is captured here, interestingly the reducing oil imports dependency is not captured in the article which I would imagine is equally important here.

I guess with the advent of shale, things aren’t as black-and-white for the U.S. as they once were.

Re: Electric Buses Are Hurting the Oil Industry

#14

Post by michaelbuckbee »

The scale of this is astounding and wonderful:

"China had about 99 percent of the 385,000 electric buses on the roads worldwide in 2017, accounting for 17 percent of the country’s entire fleet. Every five weeks, Chinese cities add 9,500 of the zero-emissions transporters—the equivalent of London’s entire working fleet, according Bloomberg New Energy Finance."

Re: Electric Buses Are Hurting the Oil Industry

#16

Post by dzhiurgis »

white-flame wrote: post #12

Diesel vs electric is a false dichotomy. Many cities in north america have natural-gas powered buses, and a lot of taxi fleets are CNG as well. Then there's also old-style cable cars and overhead electric lines scattered around, too.

Which are all loud, toxic, uncomfortable and expensive to maintain.

Re: Electric Buses Are Hurting the Oil Industry

#17

Post by dzhiurgis »

dver wrote: post #3

Working at Proterra, we're doing our part.

Can you outline a bit how cities are customising the buses?

I've a bit of the report posted here a week or so. There are over 20 companies (of course ones in US and EU paying 2-3x over Chinese ones) and I can't fathom what they are competing over. Seems like a huge waste of resources.

Re: Electric Buses Are Hurting the Oil Industry

#18

Post by ams6110 »

michaelbuckbee wrote: post #14

The scale of this is astounding and wonderful: "China had about 99 percent of the 385,000 electric buses on the roads worldwide in 2017, accounting for 17 percent of the country’s entire fleet. Every five weeks, Chinese cities add 9,500 of the zero-emissions transporters—the equivalent of London’s entire working fleet, according Bloomberg New Energy Finance."

While electric buses are almost certainly an emissions win compared to the no doubt primitive and dirty Chinese diesel buses, I doubt it is it fair to call them zero-emission? China burns a lot of coal for electrical power.

Re: Electric Buses Are Hurting the Oil Industry

#19

Post by erikpukinskis »

ams6110 wrote: post #18
michaelbuckbee wrote: post #14

The scale of this is astounding and wonderful: "China had about 99 percent of the 385,000 electric buses on the roads worldwide in 2017, accounting for 17 percent of the country’s entire fleet. Every five weeks, Chinese cities add 9,500 of the zero-emissions transporters—the equivalent of London’s entire working fleet, according Bloomberg New Energy Finance."

While electric buses are almost certainly an emissions win compared to the no doubt primitive and dirty Chinese diesel buses, I doubt it is it fair to call them zero-emission? China burns a lot of coal for electrical power.

Yep, it’s not zero emissions it’s like 75% less emissions (or whatever you get from adding the generator efficiency plus regenerative braking plus renewable sources.)

Re: Electric Buses Are Hurting the Oil Industry

#20

Post by erikpukinskis »

dzhiurgis wrote: post #16
white-flame wrote: post #12

Diesel vs electric is a false dichotomy. Many cities in north america have natural-gas powered buses, and a lot of taxi fleets are CNG as well. Then there's also old-style cable cars and overhead electric lines scattered around, too.

Which are all loud, toxic, uncomfortable and expensive to maintain.

Probably less efficient than converting the natural gas to electricity too?
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