1 Nov 2023

Alexander Dennis has integrated the new zero-emission driveline in house, working with leading technology partners.

Voith Turbo supplies the Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS), which has been specifically developed for the requirements of urban and interurban buses. While the Enviro100EV uses the medium-duty variant of VEDS, the heavy-duty version is employed in the Enviro400EV for gradeability and maximum reliability even at higher operating speeds.

A future-proof battery system has been developed in partnership with Impact Clean Power Technology. Using NMC lithium-ion cells, it delivers a higher total energy throughput – up to 1.4GWh in the Enviro400EV – that will allow operators to meet operational requirements with the original set of batteries for longer.

The battery packs are mounted within the chassis and rear of the vehicle as well as under the staircase of the Enviro400EV. Underfloor packs are mechanically isolated rather than directly bolted to the chassis, protecting them against external loads from twists and impacts that could cause premature failure.

If replacement batteries are needed during the operational life of a vehicle, they will benefit from advances in battery capabilities without the need for vehicle modifications as pack dimensions and interfaces with the vehicle are standardised. Impact is already planning a future iteration of NMC batteries for Alexander Dennis that is expected to increase range even further.

https://www.alexander-dennis.com