Forsee Power to supply NMC Li-ion batteries for Alstom Aptis electric bus
20 July 2018
Alstom has selected French battery manufacturer Forsee Power to provide Li-ion batteries for Alstom Aptis electric bus (earlier post), scheduled for series delivery from 2019 onwards. The vehicles will be equipped with NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide) Li-ion battery technology as a standard feature.
Alstom said it chose Forsee Power for its advanced technology in terms of yield and density, its competitiveness and its ability to provide a recyclable product, from collection to the re-use of cells.
Alstom and Forsee Power have worked together to define the most suitable product for Aptis, while retaining the vehicle’s openness to different battery technologies and charging speeds.
The vehicle’s design, with most of its equipment on the roof, coupled with the modularity of the ZEN35 battery packs, give Aptis the greatest range flexibility when compared to other vehicles in its category.
Alstom has developed precise simulation tools to establish the onboard energy required by operators and thus design the vehicle most suited to the requirements of each line (with range per charge from 150km to over 250km).
Alstom and Forsee Power are also collaborating on the best way to monitor battery use in real time, thereby optimizing usage cycles and thus battery life expectancy.
Alstom has also developed long-term battery leasing solutions that allow municipalities to reduce the financial impact of purchasing electric buses by spreading the cost of the batteries over the lifespan of the vehicle—20-year lifespan, longer than the lifespan of other electric buses, due to the structure of the vehicle and its electrical components derived from trams.
Aptis is a new electric mobility solution that offers the advantages of a tram in a bus. Designed to ensure a clean and efficient transport system for cities, Aptis offers a new passenger experience with its low floor and 20% more glass surfaces.
Seven of Alstom’s sites in France are involved in the design and manufacture of Aptis: Duppigheim for the overall engineering, bodywork, testing and certification; Saint-Ouen for the system integration; Tarbes for the traction; Ornans for the engines; Villeurbanne for the electronic components of the traction chain; and Reichshoffen for the manufacture of the central passenger module, final assembly and in-series tests. Finally, the Alstom site of Vitrolles is responsible for developing one of the charging solutions (SRS).
Interesting to see a major train-tram manufacturer offering high quality long lasting city e-buses. Spreading the cost of batteries over many years to lower initial cost is interesting for many cities.
Will batteries last for 20 years? If so, these buses will be very competitive.
Posted by: HarveyD | 20 July 2018 at 09:09 AM
The term of art is "multimodal". Uber claims to be with all types of announcements but I have not seen it implemented. The problem IMO is you take a train but there is no shuttle on the other end. Once they get over that people may use transit.
Posted by: SJC | 20 July 2018 at 09:31 AM
SJC:
People in some cities are using small stand up electric scooters to get around locally. San Francisco recently decided to control them:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Bye-bye-SF-scooters-as-Bird-Lime-and-Spin-go-on-12966874.php
Posted by: Lad | 20 July 2018 at 12:15 PM
We are seeing "dockless" electric scooters being trialed in Denver, along with other cities. I believe we will see scooters, bikes, car sharing, and limited-route self-driving buses tested as last-mile alternatives. Some solution will emerge.
Posted by: JMartin | 20 July 2018 at 01:33 PM
Hard to imagine someone in a three piece suit with a brief case going to a business meeting on a scooter.
Posted by: SJC | 20 July 2018 at 02:53 PM
Since various levels of government are already financing up o 80% of initial purchase cost and O&M in many cities, the same funds would be more than enough to cover 100% with electrified driverless e-buses of various sizes. The savings by removing drivers could cover up to 50% of all initial and O&M cost.
Free rides would move many people from private vehicles to public transports. That would have a very positive effect on reduced traffic jams, less travel time, pollution and GHGs. That would be a win-win-win-win solution?
Posted by: HarveyD | 20 July 2018 at 06:29 PM
@SJC: We don't see many three-piece suits in Denver. And most people have a computer case strapped across their shoulder, if anything, but not many briefcases. :-)
Posted by: JMartin | 23 July 2018 at 07:40 AM