Voith Turbo Selects Maxwell Technologies' Ultracapacitor Modules for Low-Emission, Fuel-Efficient, Hybrid Transit Bus Drive Systems

Voith and Maxwell have entered into a strategic supply agreement through which Maxwell is Voith's exclusive supplier of ultracapacitor modules assembled in the United States to meet local content requirements.



Voith has booked various hybrid system orders for the California based transit bus manufacturer, Gillig LLC, said Robert Wiss, Voith Turbo's V.P. Road Division for the US market. Gillig has also completed system tests at the Altoona Bus Research and Testing Facility, a test center for new model buses and technology and I'm very pleased with the overall durability and performance the system has shown.



Ultracapacitors' high braking energy recuperation efficiency, long operational life and reliable performance in all climates make them an ideal energy storage solution for demanding public transportation applications, continues Wiss. Our parallel hybrid drive transmission system 'DIWAhybrid' enables transit buses to improve fuel economy by as much as 35 percent compared with standard diesel buses.



Our HTM125 heavy transportation module is the result of extensive work with Voith and other leading heavy transportation OEMs to develop a robust multi-cell module to withstand the harsh environments and repetitive cycling that are typical for buses and electric rail vehicles, said David Schramm, Maxwell's president and chief executive officer. The HTM125 meets transportation industry requirements for watt-hours of energy storage and watts of power delivery per kilogram, and is designed to perform reliably through one million or more deep discharge cycles, or about 10 years of operational life for most vehicles.



The HTM125 is encased in a rugged, splash-proof, IP 65-compliant, aluminum chassis, weighs less than 60kg and measures 315x425x744mm. Integrated monitoring capabilities and a highly efficient cooling configuration enable it to sustain continuous current of up to 150 amps with minimal temperature increase in high-temperature environments. Its modular design makes it a versatile building block to satisfy various application requirements, and up to 12 modules may be linked in series to deliver a total of as much as 1,500 volts. Maxwell also offers a complete line of standard 15- to 75-volt multi-cell modules.