Castrosua unveils Tempus, its first hybrid bus

Spanish busmaker Castrosúa has unveiled its first hybrid bus. Named Tempus, the new electric-diesel-powered bus will be ready this summer. Developed with a company called Mormendi, the Tempus is the child of a young industrial engineer called Jaime Moreno. Tempus has already won the "Spanish Bus of the Year" award for 2009 - that was fast - and Madrid and Barcelona are among the cities that will get some units for testing. The Tempus has two electric motors that power the rear wheels. The motors get their juice from chloride-sodium batteries placed inside the vehicle's roof. The electric powertrain is mated to Iveco's smallest diesel engine and the bus uses just 80 liters to go 300 km, a 50 percent reduction compared to similar units. The Tempus is designed for very tight routes; it measures 9.5 meters long and 2.55 meters wide, perfect for old city centers.

[Source: El Mundo]