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Consortium to develop common platform to power ultra-low emission buses

Posted: 1 April 2015 | Katie Sadler, Digital Content Producer, Intelligent Transport

A three-year project has been established to develop a common platform to power ultra-low emission buses. The consortium led by Wrightbus, Magtec, Chargemaster and Cambridge University will research, design and integrate charging concepts to produce a system suitable for powering a range of Ultra Low Emission (ULE) buses. Project partners have secured partial funding for […]

Consortium aims to develop common platform to power ultra-low emission buses

A three-year project has been established to develop a common platform to power ultra-low emission buses.

Consortium aims to develop common platform to power ultra-low emission buses

The consortium led by Wrightbus, Magtec, Chargemaster and Cambridge University will research, design and integrate charging concepts to produce a system suitable for powering a range of Ultra Low Emission (ULE) buses.

Project partners have secured partial funding for this project from a research and development competition managed by the government-backed Advanced Propulsion Centre. The objective of the partners is to demonstrate the opportunity for reducing bus emissions through the use of a common platform specifically developed so it may be integrated into a range of ULE vehicles.  This was seen as a potentially important step forward in public transport technology.

Dr William Wright CBE, Co-Founder & Director of Wrights Group, said: “This project brings an interesting new dimension to the development of ULE bus technology and seeks to find responsible solutions to the world’s environmental challenges. This exciting new initiative, in close co-operation with our Project partners, is a key strand of our on-going work to deliver the next generation of truly environmentally-friendly public transport.”

Professor John Miles, who leads the research team at Cambridge University, said: “The Modular Architecture development is the latest project in the University’s on-going association with Wrightbus. In this concept, we are planning to store the batteries to power the bus in a ‘power floor’, converting an area that is an integral part of public transport into a place where useful power cells can be placed. The challenges are huge, but the potential for air quality improvement is also huge.”

Marcus Jenkins, Managing Director at Magtec also commented: “This project collaboration combines industry leaders and innovators to create a robust, innovative and cost-effective ULE bus, powered by the most advanced propulsion technologies in order to reduce CO2 emissions in both hybrid and pure electric vehicles.”

Jeff Solomon, Group Technical Director at Chargemaster states: “With the combination of shared expertise and knowledge base, this research and development project, will provide invaluable solutions to not just the modern ULE bus, but to the future of all powered vehicles.”

The consortium hopes to have a production ready system available within a three-year timeframe.

European Bus Forum