At the show, Voith will
introduce the demonstrator bus to the general public, under the motto
"Drive New Ways."
The drive system was
originally conceptualised as a prototype for a Solaris Urbino Bus, but it can
be integrated into vehicles from other manufacturers without restrictions.
"The achievable range primarily depends on the battery, which we acquire
from an internationally renowned supplier," explains Jürgen Berger,
project manager at Voith Turbo GmbH & Co. KG. "We are currently using
a lithium-iron-phosphate battery. This battery offers the highest level of
reliability, but the electric drive system is designed in such a way that it
can work together with any battery technology," says Berger.
With a torque of 2,250 Newton meters and an
output of 260 kilowatts, the liquid-cooled permanent magnet motor with
high-efficiency inverter and smart energy management system provides
outstanding driving performance and does not require a separate transmission.
The system can even efficiently operate heavy articulated buses. The compact
design of the drive means that it is not only low in weight but also low in
noise emissions and maintenance. The consistently employed lightweight design
approach makes it possible to minimize any surplus weight, which in turn has a
positive effect on energy consumption and consequently the achievable range.
What's more, the targeted brake force recuperation of the drive positively
affects mileage. The fact that all components are cooled with water increases
reliability and performance and makes it possible to reduce noise emissions
during operation.
The range of the demonstrator bus currently
exceeds 200 km. This corresponds to the total daily operation of a conventional
city bus line. In the coming years, this range is expected to increase thanks
to further developments in battery technology.
Studies have shown that inner-city traffic is
subject to increasing changes, brought on by developments in terms of growing
population, air pollution as well as climate change. The demand for
environmentally friendly, low-noise drives in public transport is rapidly
growing. Added to this is the political pressure, as for example restrictions
imposed on nitrogen oxide and noise emissions, meaning that the number of
electric drive vehicles will continue to grow in the coming years.
The concept of mobility must adapt to these
circumstances if individual traffic is still to be allowed inside cities in the
future. “Especially for the bus fleets of municipal transport services, the
time for electro mobility has definitely arrived," says Cornelius
Weitzmann, Executive Vice President & CEO Mobility of Voith Turbo GmbH
& Co. KG. "As an established and experienced partner of the bus
industry, we have acquired an extensive amount of experience in regard to the
various drive systems used for buses. With the new electric drive system, we
are putting this experience to good use and add yet another milestone in our
company history to our portfolio."
Voith is expecting that by
2030, electric drives will have taken up a superior position in the bus fleets
of transport operators compared to other drive solutions. Significant growth of
the electro mobility market for buses is expected for all regions of the world.
In the course of this, the city bus segment is only the first step toward an
emission-free city, which will soon enough be followed by other segments of the
transport sector.
Voith also scores top marks when it comes to
data capture and analysis, offering an integrated approach and extensive know
how from Voith Digital Solutions. "We bring together our innovative
technical system approach with our experience in public transport," says
Dr. Robert Müller, manager of Strategic Design Market Development at Voith
Digital Solutions. "Thanks to our systems, we have obtained two decades
worth of elementary data and knowledge regarding driving profiles and cycles
within large inner city bus fleets. This is the crucial benefit for operators
in the age of intelligent data networking. You want to operate your vehicle
fleets efficiently and cost-effectively." This is precisely what the
integrated system approach of the electric drive system ensures.
Source: IAA COMMERCIAL VEHICLES 2018