Prius Backup Generator

[travelover]

The key word in the statement was "generate." An inverter doesn't "generate" electricity, it only converts. The real question is: Is the bus's generator putting out 12v or 115v electricity? Another important question would be about the wattage. It seems to me that a generator large enough to provide enough useful electricity to do more than run low-wattage light bulbs would be pretty expensive... not to mention quite heavy. But, again, I am way out of my league here.

Hybrids generate high voltage - think 300+ volts. This article indicates they have the capacity to put out 200K watts of power. To put this into perspective, I run my whole house off a 4K generator during outages.

Hurricane Emergency Power From Hybrid Buses – BAE Mass Transit Power - Popular Mechanics

 

[samclem]

Did they mention what technology they'll use to convert the battery DC into 110/220 AC? I can't imagine an inverter capable of handling a school or emergency shelter.

Here's a link with a little more info. Not much about the logistics of converting the power, just that the buses produce DC and that inverters for making AC are being sold. The options are to either put them on the buses permanently or put them at the likely sites of use. A bus puts out 200 KVA, and can do it for 22 hours straight on a single tank of diesel. They say that is "enough for a 12,400 sq ft hospital"

San Francisco also plans to use the buses to provide emergency power to move electric streetcars out of the way when the power goes out.

 

[Nords]

San Francisco also plans to use the buses to provide emergency power to move electric streetcars out of the way when the power goes out.

I can hear the bus driver now: "Eh, brah, no need electric-- I push, ya?"