Japan to test electric buses for public transport

The Japanese government will begin testing electric buses on the streets of Kyoto and Aomori in January 2011, aiming to use the vehicles for public transportation in Fiscal 2013, Transport Ministry sources said. The tests will be designed to verify that the plug-in buses can run on schedule and be recharged without problems. The bus to be tested is a 60-seater being developed by the ministry in cooperation with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corp. It will be equipped to run about 30 kilometers on a full, 20-minute charge. The vehicles will be recharged at terminals to be built along their test routes. (June 16, 2010)