A Passive Experiment on Route Bus Speed Change Patterns to Clarify Electrification Benefits

In addition to the widely recognized benefits of reducing carbon emissions and protecting the environment, the authors believe that bus electrification has potential advantages in enhancing driving safety, improving passenger comfort, and reducing driver fatigue—areas that have not yet been sufficiently studied and emphasized. Safety and comfort are fundamental objectives in the continuous development of transportation systems. They are directly and closely related to both passengers and drivers and are among the top priorities when individuals choose their mode of transportation. Therefore, these aspects deserve broader and more in-depth attention and research. This study aims to identify the potential advantages of route bus electrification in terms of safety and comfort. The results of a passive experiment on the speed profile of buses operating on actual routes are presented here. Firstly, we focus on the acceleration/deceleration at the starting/stopping stops, specifically for regular-route buses, and obtain the following information: I. Starting acceleration from a bus stop is particularly strong in the second half of the acceleration process, being suitable for motor-driven vehicles. II. The features of the stopping deceleration at a bus stop are “high intensity” and “low dispersion”, with the latter enabling the refinement of regenerative settings and significantly lowering electricity economy during electrification. And we compare the speed profile of an electric bus with those of a diesel bus and obtain the following information: III. Motor-driven vehicles offer the advantages of “high acceleration performance” and “no gear shifting”, making them particularly suitable for the high-intensity acceleration required when route buses depart from stations. This not only simplifies driving operations but also enhances lane-changing safety. And by calculating and analyzing the jerk amount, we could quantitatively demonstrate the comfortable driving experience while riding on this type of bus where there is no shock due to gear shifting. IV. While the “high acceleration performance” of motor-driven vehicles produces “individual differences in the speed change patterns”, this does not translate to “individual differences in electricity consumption”, owing to the characteristics of this type of vehicle. With engine-driven vehicles, measures such as “slow acceleration” and “shift up early” are strongly encouraged to realize eco-driving, and any driving style that deviates from these measures is avoided. However, with motor-driven vehicles, the driver does not need to be too concerned about the speed change patterns during acceleration. This characteristic also suggests a benefit in terms of the electrification of buses.