Forsee Power Accelerates Deliveries of Batteries for Hydrogen Buses and Signs New Contract with Wrightbus
Forsee Power, the French specialist in smart battery systems for electric mobility, has been equipping the buses of the northern Irish brand Wrightbus –a pioneer in 100% electric buses for opportunity charging– since 2013. Once again, it has been designated as official supplier, thus pursuing its collaboration with the famous brand. This new contract allows the French company to consolidate its international presence and reaffirm its know-how on new generations of batteries for electric buses and hydrogen buses.
In 2016, the two pioneer partners broadened their cooperation in the field of hydrogen buses, for which Forsee Power has developed the high-power Pulse technology. The success of this cooperation enabled Wrightbus to win the JIVE (Joint Initiative for Hydrogen Vehicles Across Europe) call for tenders, and to register nearly 100 orders for hydrogen buses in major cities such as Aberdeen, London, or Liverpool. The extra-slim format of Forsee Power’s Pulse 2.5 modules combined with their very high power frees up the space necessary for the integration of fuel cells, especially in the double-decker Streetdeck buses that cannot integrate batteries in roofing while their consumption is higher than single-decker buses. The Streedeck H2 Buses thus reach a range of 320 km. Hydrogen is now at the forefront of the Wrightbus offer, who announced a plan for 3,000 hydrogen buses in May 2020. The manufacturer aims to become a benchmark in the hydrogen bus market, not only in the United Kingdom but also across the Channel and internationally.
The Bamford Group, new owner of the Wrightbus bus brand, has renewed its long-term partnership with Forsee Power with a contract for several hundred battery systems per year. The equipment of the city of Belfast from 2021 will be a first key project.
General Manager – Business Development at Forsee Power, Sébastien Rembauville-Nicolle, said:One of Forsee Power’s strengths is our ability to develop the right technologies and products to meet our customers’ needs. This renewed trust from Wrightbus is a fine example of our international strike force with products suited to a wide variety of markets and applications.
Forsee Power will also supply Wrightbus with its new generation of slim batteries, whose extra-flat format allows an easy integration into the chassis of vehicles (standard or double-decker buses).
New Product Development Manager at Wrightbus, Jim Morrison, said:We have always been delighted with the products and the professionalism of Forsee Power. There are few manufacturers specializing in heavy transport, and who know, moreover, how to develop cutting-edge, innovative products with proven reliability. So why change a winning team!
First, Forsee Power will equip the buses with the new ZEN-Slim high-energy batteries (11 kWh, 16 kWh & 22 kWh). The flat format allows an easy integration into the floor or other vehicle spaces. These modular battery systems have an integrated liquid cooling system and will be intended for 100% electric buses with high autonomy and overnight charging. Each bus will be equipped with 333 kWh to 423 kWh.
Then, the new generation of FLEX-Slim batteries will complete the technical offer and will be integrated into hydrogen buses (standard or double-decker) and 100% electric buses.
This article was originally published by Forsee Power.
