In 2010, a Beijing based company unveiled the proposition of
an elevated bus at the 19th International high-tech expo in Beijing.
With car ownership soaring in China, the company behind the invention hopes
that this revolutionary vehicle will be the answer to easing traffic congestion
and air pollution. However, the test
drive earlier this month proved this seemingly feasible design to be far from
perfect.
Named the Transit Elevated Bus (TEB), the
electricity-powered vehicle straddles the highway on embedded rails and allows
vehicles to pass underneath its carriages. Since TEB runs on electricity, it is
estimated to reduce annual fuel consumption by as much as 800 tons and carbon
emissions by almost 2500 tons. Moreover, the project would be less costly to
implement than a traditional subway system that would require underground construction.
Capable of transporting up to 1400 commuters, this sci-fi vehicle lookalike is sure
to be a promising solution to relieving traffic jams.
Although the project was highly anticipated, the prototype that debuted last week has onlookers thinking otherwise. Critics around the world were fast to point out various complications with this bus system.To name a few, TEB can only operate on straight roads. Vehicles that are over 7 feet would be too large to fit under, and there would be a serious challenge to prevent it from interfering with cars making turns and changing lanes. Despite it being an innovative answer to curb congestion and pollution, this ambitious proposal would need some major revisions before its launch. Perhaps, new cities to be built with this massive vehicle in mind would have better luck implementing it.
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