The New Flyer Xcelsior is a line of
transit bus
Transit may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Transit'' (1979 film), a 1979 Israeli film
* ''Transit'' (2005 film), a film produced by MTV and Staying-Alive about four people in countries in the world
* ''Transit'' (2006 film), a 2006 ...
es available in 35'
rigid, 40' rigid, and 60'
articulated
An articulated vehicle is a vehicle which has a permanent or semi-permanent pivot joint in its construction, allowing it to turn more sharply. There are many kinds, from heavy equipment to buses, trams and trains. Steam locomotives were sometim ...
nominal lengths manufactured by
New Flyer Industries
New Flyer is a Canadian multinational bus manufacturer, specializing in the production of transit buses. New Flyer is owned by the NFI Group, a holding company for several bus manufacturers. New Flyer has several manufacturing facilities in Can ...
since 2008. In addition to the different available lengths, the buses are sold with a variety of propulsion systems: conventional
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
,
compressed natural gas
Compressed natural gas (CNG) is a fuel gas mainly composed of methane (CH4), compressed to less than 1% of the volume it occupies at standard atmospheric pressure. It is stored and distributed in hard containers at a pressure of , usually in cy ...
(CNG),
diesel-electric hybrid, hydrogen
fuel cell,
overhead electric wire and
battery electric. A future
autonomous bus variant was announced in January 2021.
Model codes
For example, a New Flyer XE40 NG is a 40' (nominal) rigid Next Generation Xcelsior with battery-electric power, or an XN60 is a 60' articulated Original Generation Xcelsior with CNG power.
History
The Xcelsior was introduced October 2008
APTA Expo held in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United State ...
. The Xcelsior started off as a set of improvements to the company's prior product, the
New Flyer Low Floor
The New Flyer Low Floor was a line of low-floor transit buses available in 30' rigid, 35' rigid, 40' rigid, and 60' articulated lengths manufactured by New Flyer Industries between 1991 and 2014. In addition to the different available lengths, t ...
, but over the development process the company said it ended up designing a new bus. Compared to the Low Flyer, the Xcelsior was 10% lighter, boosting fuel economy by about 7%.
The bus was also designed to allow a much larger cooling system and the addition of a
SCR system, both required to meet the more stringent EPA mandates that were coming in 2010. To accommodate the change, the
Thermo King
Thermo King is an American manufacturer of transport temperature control systems for refrigerator trucks and trailers, refrigerated containers and refrigerated railway cars along with heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems for bus an ...
air conditioning system was moved from the rear of the bus to a roof mount location over the front axle. New Flyer found that the move improved the weight balance of the bus, and when combined with enhanced insulation, contributed to the vehicle running quieter.
The interior of the bus was also modified. By moving the fuel tank and modifying the rear suspension, seating capacity was increased from 39 to 42 (on the 40' model), with more forward-facing seats. To improve
accessibility
Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i. ...
, the floor height was lowered to with the ability to
kneel
Kneeling is a basic human position where one or both knees touch the ground. Kneeling is defined as “to position the body so that one or both knees rest on the floor,” according to Merriam-Webster. Kneeling when only composed of one knee, an ...
down to , and the front entry door was widened, allowing a wider wheelchair ramp. To improve interior aesthetics, visible fasteners were eliminated and molded plastic surfaces were introduced. The utilitarian instrument panel was replaced with an automotive-style electronic dashboard.
The bus also had a redesigned front face, bumpers, and roof shrouds that also offered better aerodynamics and the front improved visibility for the driver.
At launch, the Xcelsior was only available in a length with power from the
Cummins ISL 280 and a
Allison B400 conventional transmission or the Allison EP-40 hybrid drive.
Brampton Transit
Brampton Transit (BT) is a public transport bus operator for the City of Brampton in the Regional Municipality of Peel, and within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) in Ontario, Canada. Brampton Transit began operations in 1974. In , the system had ...
, serving
Brampton, Ontario
Brampton ( or ) is a city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Brampton is a city in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a lower-tier municipality within Peel Region. The city has a population of 656,480 as of the 2021 Census, making it th ...
, was the first agency to order the Xcelsior.
The first
trolleybus
A trolleybus (also known as trolley bus, trolley coach, trackless trolley, trackless tramin the 1910s and 1920sJoyce, J.; King, J. S.; and Newman, A. G. (1986). ''British Trolleybus Systems'', pp. 9, 12. London: Ian Allan Publishing. .or trol ...
version of the Xcelsior was an XT40 built in 2014 for the
Seattle trolleybus system, operated by
King County Metro
King County Metro, officially the King County Metro Transit Department and often shortened to Metro, is the public transit authority of King County, Washington, which includes the city of Seattle. It is the eighth-largest transit bus agency in t ...
,
the first unit of an order placed in 2013.
King County Metro also purchased the XT60 (articulated trolleybus),
and both XT40s and XT60s were subsequently purchased by the
San Francisco Municipal Railway
The San Francisco Municipal Railway (SF Muni or Muni), is the public transit system for the City and County of San Francisco. It operates a system of bus routes (including trolleybuses), the Muni Metro light rail system, three historic cabl ...
, for the
San Francisco trolleybus system.
Xcelsior CHARGE
The first Xcelsior
battery electric bus
A battery electric bus is an electric bus that is driven by an electric motor and obtains energy from on-board batteries. Many trolleybuses use batteries as an auxiliary or emergency power source.
In 2018, the National Renewable Energy Laborator ...
es (XE40) were built in 2014 and delivered to the
Chicago Transit Authority
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) is the operator of mass transit in Chicago, Illinois, United States, and some of its surrounding suburbs, including the trains of the Chicago 'L' and CTA bus service. In , the system had a ridership of , ...
and
Winnipeg Transit
Winnipeg Transit is the public transit agency, and the bus-service provider, of the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Established years ago, it is owned by the city government and currently employs nearly 1,600 people—including approximately 1,1 ...
.
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (abbreviated MBTA and known colloquially as "the T") is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in Greater Boston, Massachusetts. The MBTA transit network in ...
was the lead agency for the XE60, ordered in January 2019 and placed into service on July 31, 2019. The
Toronto Transit Commission
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is the public transport agency that operates bus, subway, streetcar, and paratransit services in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, some of which run into the Peel Region and York Region. It is the oldest and largest ...
operates 25 XE40 buses.
The first battery-electric Xcelsior buses were a powertrain option within the regular Xcelsior line; development was announced in 2011, a prototype was shown in 2012, and regular production began in 2014.
The original battery-electric Xcelsior bus, offered as an XE40, used a permanent magnet traction motor built by Siemens. In October 2017, the Xcelsior CHARGE sub-line was introduced.
The Xcelsior CHARGE variant (XE''nn'') uses the
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
ELFA2 electric drive system with different options for battery capacity, depending on the charging speed and range required. The traction motor used has an output of either and .
Batteries are supplied by
XALT Energy or
A123 Systems
A123 Systems, LLC, a subsidiary of the Chinese Wanxiang Group Holdings, is a developer and manufacturer of lithium iron phosphate batteries and energy storage systems.
The company was founded in 2001 by Yet-Ming Chiang, Bart Riley, and Ric Fulo ...
(XE60 long-range models and XHE''nn'' fuel cell models).
On-route rapid charging is provided through an overhead pantograph designed to be interoperable with the
SAE J3105
SAE J3105 is a recommended practice for automated connection devices (ACD) that mate chargers with battery electric buses and heavy-duty vehicles. The practice is maintained by the SAE International with the formal title "Electric Vehicle Power Tr ...
standard supplying 300–450 kW. Shop or depot charging may be performed using
SAE J3068
SAE J3068 "Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System Using a Three-Phase Capable Coupler" is a North American recommended practice published and maintained by SAE International. J3068 defines electrical connectors and a control protocol for electric ...
and
J1772
SAE J1772, also known as a J plug or Type 1 connector after its international standard, IEC 62196 Type 1, is a North American standard for electrical connectors for electric vehicles maintained by SAE International under the formal title "SAE ...
connectors supplying up to 150 kW.
At Altoona, the as-tested empty weight of an XE40 was measured at with a capacity of 76 (38 seated passengers + 37 standing passengers + 1 driver) for a total
GVW of . It was equipped with 4 XALT Xsyst 7 (7 kWh) batteries and a SPHEROS fuel-fired heater. When accelerating from a constant speed, the bus emitted an average maximum noise level of 66.1
dB(A)
A-weighting is the most commonly used of a family of curves defined in the International standard IEC 61672:2003 and various national standards relating to the measurement of sound pressure level. A-weighting is applied to instrument-measured s ...
,
considerably lower than the average maximum noise level of 70.4 dB(A) measured from a conventionally-powered XD40.
Xcelsior CHARGE NG
Xcelsior CHARGE NG is New Flyer's next generation battery-electric, zero-emission bus. It is lighter, simpler and has longer range with better energy recovery. It has a capacity of 32-61 passengers with 2 wheelchair locations. It is available in 35', 40', and 60' configurations. It has a
Siemens
Siemens AG ( ) is a German multinational conglomerate corporation and the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe headquartered in Munich with branch offices abroad.
The principal divisions of the corporation are ''Industry'', '' ...
ELFA3 traction motor, Lithium Manganese Cobalt (NMC) batteries, and electric roof-mounted HVAC(s).
XE60
![XE60 Interior](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/XE60_Interior.jpg)
The articulated XE60 adds a second driven axle, using the
ZF AxTrax AVE on the middle axle.
The AxTrax AVE (formerly known as the AVE 130) uses two electric motors (one per wheel), each with a maximum continuous/peak output of and maximum continuous/peak torque of .
[ Each motor is an asynchronous three-phase AC motor operating on 650 VDC with an input current of 250 (continuous) to 340 (peak) amps, using a single-speed reduction gear ratio of 22.66:1. The complete axle assembly weighs
The as-tested empty weight of an XE60 was with a capacity of 120 (50 seated passengers + 69 standing passengers + 1 driver) for a total GVW of .] Compared to the diesel-powered equivalent XD60, the XE60 is heavier (XD60 GVW is ) and holds slightly fewer people (XD60 capacity is 123 people: 49 seated, 73 standing, 1 driver). Depending on the driving route/style, the XE60 tested at Altoona had a predicted range of .[
The MBTA and NYMTA were the first to order the XE60, with the former ordering 5 and the latter ordering 15.
]
Xcelsior CHARGE H2
The CHARGE model can be equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell (model code XHE), which acts as an on-board charger to extend range. Earlier New Flyer fuel cell buses were based on the preceding Low Floor
Accessibility is the design of products, devices, services, vehicles, or environments so as to be usable by people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i. ...
chassis, designated H40LFR, and integrated by an outside vendor. In 2016, New Flyer received an order for 25 XHE40 buses under the California Air Resources Board
The California Air Resources Board (CARB or ARB) is the "clean air agency" of the government of California. Established in 1967 when then-governor Ronald Reagan signed the Mulford-Carrell Act, combining the Bureau of Air Sanitation and the Moto ...
Air Quality Improvement Program (AQIP). The XHE40 uses a MAN SE
MAN SE (abbreviation of ''Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg'', ) was a manufacturing and engineering company based in Munich, Germany. Its primary output was commercial vehicles and diesel engines through its MAN Truck & Bus and MAN Latin Ame ...
model 1350 rear axle with a traction motor from Siemens; like the XE60, the XHE60 also uses a MAN 1350 rear axle as a pusher, but adds a ZF AxTrax AVE middle axle as a puller for traction-challenged conditions.
An XHE60 tested at Altoona weighed empty; with a total capacity of 132 (1 driver, 50 seated, 81 standing), the estimated GVW was . The fuel cell was a Ballard HD85 with an 85 kW output.
Development of the electric fuel cell buses is centered in California, with AC Transit
AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) is an Oakland-based public transit agency serving the western portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. AC Transit also operates "Transbay" ro ...
serving as the lead agency for one XHE60, and SunLine Transit Agency, AC Transit, and Orange County Transportation Authority
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is the transportation planning commission for Orange County, California in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. OCTA is responsible for funding and implementing transit and capital projects for ...
testing several variants of XHE40.
Xcelsior AV
New Flyer and Robotic Research
Robotics is an interdisciplinary branch of computer science and engineering. Robotics involves design, construction, operation, and use of robots. The goal of robotics is to design machines that can help and assist humans. Robotics integrate ...
announced a partnership in May 2019 to develop automated bus technology. In January 2021, New Flyer introduced the Xcelsior AV, New Flyer's first ever autonomous bus. New Flyer claims the AV meets the SAE J3016 Level 4 of autonomy. The AV is based on the XE40 chassis, and uses Robotic Research's AutoDrive suite of sensors and AutoDrive ByWire mechanical actuators. Project management was performed by The Center for Transportation and Environment (CTE) with support from the Federal Transit Administration
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) that provides financial and technical assistance to local public transportation systems. The FTA is one of ten modal administration ...
, who provided a million grant under the Integrated Mobility Innovation Program.[
The first three Xcelsior AV buses are scheduled to be tested by ]CTtransit
CTtransit (styled as CT ''transit'') is a bus system serving much of the U.S. state of Connecticut and is a division of that state's Department of Transportation. CTtransit provides bus service via contract providers for seven different ...
in 2021 on the CTfastrak
CTfastrak (constructed as the New Britain-Hartford Busway) is a regional bus rapid transit system currently operating between downtown Hartford and Downtown New Britain station in New Britain in central Connecticut. Operated by Connecticut Tran ...
bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit (BRT), also called a busway or transitway, is a bus-based public transport system designed to have much more capacity, reliability and other quality features than a conventional bus system. Typically, a BRT system includes ...
(BRT) line, over a dedicated right-of-way long, connecting New Britain and Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
. The deployment on a BRT line is anticipated to test the vehicles' ability to perform precision docking at station platforms and platooning multiple vehicles.
Gallery
File:4953 M86.jpg, XE60, NYMTA
File:WMATA New Flyer Xcelsior XE40.jpg, XE40, WMATA
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA ), commonly referred to as Metro, is a tri-jurisdictional government agency that operates transit service in the Washington metropolitan area. WMATA was created by the United States Con ...
Metrobus
File:6098 M60.jpg, XD60, NYMTA
File:GBT NFI 3712.jpg, XDE35, Greater Bridgeport Transit
Greater Bridgeport Transit (GBT) is a Mass transit, transit service serving the Greater Bridgeport region of the U.S. state of Connecticut. GBT provides local bus service to the cities/towns of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Bridgeport, Trumbull, Conne ...
File:SEPTA bus 3061 at JFK Boulevard and 15th Street.jpeg, XDE40, SEPTA
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five c ...
File:MBTA route SL5 bus on Washington Street, April 2017.jpg, XDE60, MBTA Silver Line
File:AC Transit bus FC17 at Fruitvale BART on the 54 line.jpg, XHE40, AC Transit
AC Transit (Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District) is an Oakland-based public transit agency serving the western portions of Alameda and Contra Costa counties in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. AC Transit also operates "Transbay" ro ...
File:Seattle New Flyer trolleybus 4324 on Madison St at 2nd Ave (2015).jpg, XT40, King County Metro
King County Metro, officially the King County Metro Transit Department and often shortened to Metro, is the public transit authority of King County, Washington, which includes the city of Seattle. It is the eighth-largest transit bus agency in t ...
File:Muni route 5 trolleybus at Transbay Transit Center, September 2019.jpg, XT60, San Francisco Municipal Railway
The San Francisco Municipal Railway (SF Muni or Muni), is the public transit system for the City and County of San Francisco. It operates a system of bus routes (including trolleybuses), the Muni Metro light rail system, three historic cabl ...
File:New Flyer XN40 LF MTA NYC Bus b.n. 755.jpg, XN40, NYMTA
File:New FLyer XN40 LF Interior of the bus.jpg, Interior (XN40) in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
File:New Flyer XN40 LF interior.webm, XN40 in New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
File:Blank New Flyer XD40.jpg, Blank XD40 in Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
See also
* BYD K9
*ENC Axess
The ENC Axess is a line of Low-floor bus, low-floor transit buses available in 35' and 40' nominal lengths manufactured by ENC (company), ENC (formerly ElDorado National–California) in Riverside, California starting from 2003. In addition to th ...
* Gillig Low Floor
The Gillig Low Floor (originally named Gillig H2000LF and also nicknamed Gillig Advantage) is a transit bus manufactured by the Gillig Corporation. The second low-floor bus introduced in the United States (after the New Flyer LF), the Low Floor ...
* Nova Bus LFS
The Low Floor Series (LFS) is a series of transit buses manufactured by Nova Bus for North American customers from 1996 to the present. It is produced in 40' rigid and 62' articulated (nominal) lengths with a variety of powertrains, including conve ...
* Proterra Catalyst
The Proterra Catalyst is a battery electric bus that was built by Proterra from 2014 to 2020.
History
In 2014 Proterra introduced the Catalyst, a fast-charge 100% electric bus to replace the EcoRide BE35. The bus was built on the EcoRide's de ...
and Proterra ZX5
References
External links
*
* {{cite web , url=https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/New_Flyer_Industries_Xcelsior , title=New Flyer Industries Xcelsior , publisher=Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board wiki , access-date=December 11, 2018
*Xcelsior NG: https://www.newflyer.com/bus/xcelsior-charge-ng/
Brochures
Xcelsior family overview
Xcelsior AV
Xcelsior CHARGE H2
Xcelsior CHARGE NG
Xcelsior Clean Diesel
Xcelsior CNG
Xcelsior Hybrid-Electric
Xcelsior Trolley-Electric
Buses of Canada
Buses of the United States
Xcelsior
Vehicles introduced in 2008
Articulated buses