"Paul Terry" wrote in message

In message , Recliner
writes

I was in Seattle a couple of months ago and noticed that all their
bendy buses proudly claim to be hybrids. The buses certainly didn't
look new, so presumably have older technology than the London buses,
and Seattle is a lot more hilly than central London. They seemed to
get up the hills all right, though I've no idea what size diesel
engines they have.

Seattle's dual-mode Breda buses date back to 1989, but were not very
reliable and have been phased out to be replaced by a system developed
by General Motors, in which the diesel engine powers the wheels as
well as charging the battery. Unfortunately, they haven't delivered
the expected reductions in diesel usage:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/transp...9_metro13.html

Yes, they certainly have a lusty diesel roar as they climb the Seattle
hills. I wouldn't have guessed they were hybrids if the signs hadn't
said they were.

I suppose this is yet another episode of hybrid vehicles not achieving
the economy that they claim.