Capacitor tech talk Summer 2010

1) Electric buses being operated at the 2010 Shanghai World Exhibition are receiving considerable attention. Why?

The Shanghai World Exhibition buses have asymmetric electrochemical capacitors powering them from bus stop to bus stop on Bus Route #11. The accompanying photograph (Figure 1) shows an example of one during the charging phase, which occurs while the bus is loading and unloading passengers at a stop.

Operation does not require the usual catenary power lines, lessening the visual impact on that part of the city that is on the bus's route. In contrast to trolleys, there are neither tracks . . .