Krystal's New Hybrid Bus!
Krystal Emerges On Green Frontier
Two pivotal vehicles could take the world’s largest limousine builder in new markets and directions.
As Krystal Enterprises bottoms out from a recession shaking up coachbuilders nationwide, the industry leader emerges with two revolutionary vehicles with the potential to reposition the company in the decade ahead.
A new compressed natural gas stretch limousine and its Krystal Hybrid Bus, which hit the market last year, are making strides with initial contracts and gaining wider industry buzz.
At a time of industry supplier sales declines and worker furloughs, Krystal spent the last 18 months developing the 72-inch green stretch while rolling out its Hybrid bus, which has 31- 35- and 38-foot configurations that can carry 25-41 passengers. Two major contracts have vaulted the vehicles to the forefront of industry innovation:
• CityCenter in Las Vegas, an 18-million-square-foot, multi-use project developed by MGM Mirage, commissioned the first stretch-limo fleet powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), ordering 26 silver, 72-inch stretched Lincoln Town Cars. The green limos will service CityCenter’s ARIA Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel. Krystal collaborated with Clean Energy Fuels, BAF Technologies, and Ford engineers to develop the model. The first three rolled off the production line during the week of Sept. 21-25 and were bound for the Aria Resort & Casino.
The General Services Administration, a federal agency based in Washington, D.C., recently ordered 35 Krystal Hybrid buses, bringing to 39 the total number of buses either built or ordered since it debuted at the BusCon Expo in September 2008. The 35 buses, valued at about $8.75 million, will be farmed out to various other federal agencies and departments by July 2010.
Krystal Hybrid Bus
The 2010 version remains essentially unchanged from the premiere 2009 model. Specifically designed and marketed towards short haul contractors for inner city use, the bus has sparked tremendous interest from the public sector. However, Northeast Charter and Tour Co, of Lewiston, ME, was among the first to purchase and has already begun to reap the benefits: both in town and over the road.
The Krystal Hybrid bus, based on the 3200 chassis built by the International Truck and Engine Corp., runs on a diesel electric hybrid engine which enables fuel savings of up to 60%. It has a 180,000 BTU roof air conditioning unit which can run with the engine off.
The air conditioner and electric features of the bus can run from 15-35 minutes with the engine-off mode engaged. The engine will then idle for four minutes to build the reserves for another 15-35 minutes of electrical power. This enables the bus to provide power and air conditioning without violating many state laws that limit idling to five minutes at a time.
“Given some of the idling laws, this ability sets it apart from any hybrid vehicle on the road,”
The Krystal Hybrid also features an Eaton Ultrashift HEV transmission that captures energy released from slowing down the vehicle and using it to propel it when it moves forward.
“We evaluated what was available four years ago, selected the Eaton system based on price, quality, and support,” “You don’t need all that engine torque to rev up and take off. You don’t need the engine for initial acceleration since the electric motor starts off and takes you down.” The electric motor gets the bus up to about 10 mph before the diesel engine kicks in and boosts the engine going uphill.
By running the air conditioning on electric power, the bus avoids the heavy duty use and hassles of engine belts driving the A/C compressors.
As Krystal Enterprises bottoms out from a recession shaking up coachbuilders nationwide, the industry leader emerges with two revolutionary vehicles with the potential to reposition the company in the decade ahead.
A new compressed natural gas stretch limousine and its Krystal Hybrid Bus, which hit the market last year, are making strides with initial contracts and gaining wider industry buzz.
At a time of industry supplier sales declines and worker furloughs, Krystal spent the last 18 months developing the 72-inch green stretch while rolling out its Hybrid bus, which has 31- 35- and 38-foot configurations that can carry 25-41 passengers. Two major contracts have vaulted the vehicles to the forefront of industry innovation:
• CityCenter in Las Vegas, an 18-million-square-foot, multi-use project developed by MGM Mirage, commissioned the first stretch-limo fleet powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), ordering 26 silver, 72-inch stretched Lincoln Town Cars. The green limos will service CityCenter’s ARIA Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel. Krystal collaborated with Clean Energy Fuels, BAF Technologies, and Ford engineers to develop the model. The first three rolled off the production line during the week of Sept. 21-25 and were bound for the Aria Resort & Casino.
The General Services Administration, a federal agency based in Washington, D.C., recently ordered 35 Krystal Hybrid buses, bringing to 39 the total number of buses either built or ordered since it debuted at the BusCon Expo in September 2008. The 35 buses, valued at about $8.75 million, will be farmed out to various other federal agencies and departments by July 2010.
Krystal Hybrid Bus
The 2010 version remains essentially unchanged from the premiere 2009 model. Specifically designed and marketed towards short haul contractors for inner city use, the bus has sparked tremendous interest from the public sector. However, Northeast Charter and Tour Co, of Lewiston, ME, was among the first to purchase and has already begun to reap the benefits: both in town and over the road.
The Krystal Hybrid bus, based on the 3200 chassis built by the International Truck and Engine Corp., runs on a diesel electric hybrid engine which enables fuel savings of up to 60%. It has a 180,000 BTU roof air conditioning unit which can run with the engine off.
The air conditioner and electric features of the bus can run from 15-35 minutes with the engine-off mode engaged. The engine will then idle for four minutes to build the reserves for another 15-35 minutes of electrical power. This enables the bus to provide power and air conditioning without violating many state laws that limit idling to five minutes at a time.
“Given some of the idling laws, this ability sets it apart from any hybrid vehicle on the road,”
The Krystal Hybrid also features an Eaton Ultrashift HEV transmission that captures energy released from slowing down the vehicle and using it to propel it when it moves forward.
“We evaluated what was available four years ago, selected the Eaton system based on price, quality, and support,” “You don’t need all that engine torque to rev up and take off. You don’t need the engine for initial acceleration since the electric motor starts off and takes you down.” The electric motor gets the bus up to about 10 mph before the diesel engine kicks in and boosts the engine going uphill.
By running the air conditioning on electric power, the bus avoids the heavy duty use and hassles of engine belts driving the A/C compressors.
