Yosemite National Park to Use from GM Hybrid Technology August 2004

DETROIT (AP) -- Hybrid engines manufactured by General Motors Corp. will be used to power some buses in California's Yosemite National Park -- a move aimed at curbing emissions in the pristine reserve.

Gillig Corp., of Hayward, Calif., was awarded a contract to manufacture 18 new 40-foot buses that operate with GM diesel-electric hybrid engines. The buses are scheduled to go into service in the park in May 2005.

The new buses offer up to 60 percent greater fuel economy and 90 percent cleaner emissions compared to regular diesel buses.

GM's advanced hybrid technology is being used in a number of communities seeking to boost fuel efficiency while reducing pollutants.

More than 200 transit buses in the Seattle area are getting the new engines and similar buses are in service in Philadelphia. More than a dozen major North American cities are also testing the buses.

"Yosemite National Park is truly one of America's great national treasures," Elizabeth A. Lowery, GM vice president for Environment and Energy, said in a statement.

Yosemite officials said they chose the diesel-electric hybrid because of "a significant improvement in fuel economy, dramatically reduced emissions and noticeably quieter operations," said Mike Tollesfson, the park's superintendent.

Hybrids draw power from two energy sources, typically a gas or diesel engine combined with an electric motor. One of the ways the buses conserve fuel is by storing electricity generated when they brake, then using that electricity as a power source when the buses leave from stops.

All GM's major competitors are investing heavily in hybrid technology, mainly in cars and trucks. Currently only Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. sell hybrid passenger cars in the United States.

GM,the world's largest automaker, recently began selling a "mild" hybrid pickup, and Ford is scheduled to introduce a hybrid sport utility vehicle this summer.

SOURCE: Detroit Free Press

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