Effects of Diesel Hybrid-Electric Buses On The Environment in New York City

Throughout this project, we have analyzed the new Diesel Hybrid-Electric Buses that are supposed to be the cleanest and most environmentally conscious buses. We have found hybrid buses to have much greater fuel efficiency because they have regenerative braking, which stores energy that would otherwise be lost as heat in the brakes. It has also been found that toxic emissions such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter have been drastically reduced in hybrid buses as compared with conventional diesel buses. One major obstacle to this endeavor has been the significantly high maintenance costs. As time goes by, we will see whether the economic advantages outweigh the economic disadvantages.

Project submitted to Professors Lori Scarlatos and Micha Tomkiewicz, Brooklyn College, by Susan Fraymovich, Alex Kaysin, Polina Rosen, Inna Soybelman, and Henry Stewart.