28th May 2016

Futuristic bus concept to be tested in China

A radical new "straddling bus" that allows cars to drive underneath it will be tested in China this summer.

Plans for the Land Airbus – proposed by the Transit Explore Bus company – have been floating around for several years. Previous versions failed to have much of an impact, but last week a model was showcased at the China Beijing International High-Tech Expo (CHITEC); and a full-scale prototype is now planned for testing on the streets of Qinhuangdao, a coastal city about 200km east of Beijing, this July or August.

The Land Airbus would measure 60m (197 ft) in length, 7.8m (25 ft) in width and 4.5m (15 ft) in height. Travelling on rails at each side of a road, it could arch over the flow of traffic, spanning two lanes, with cars and other small vehicles able to pass below.

"The biggest advantage is that the bus will save lots of road space," said chief engineer Song Youzhou, in an interview with Xinhua, the state-owned news agency. Youzhou has worked on the project since the beginning, in partnership with various companies.

Carrying up to 1,400 commuters and moving at 37 mph (60 km/h), its combination of speed and capacity would enable the Land Airbus to do the equivalent work of 40 traditional buses. Electrically powered, it would also help to reduce air pollution – currently a major problem throughout China – and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, costs would be substantially lower than a subway.

"It has the same function as the subway, but it costs only 16 percent of what a subway costs," added Youzhou. "Manufacturing and construction times are also much shorter than that for a subway."

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