Industrial electric vehicle battery provider Voltabox has announced a major order placed by long-term customer Kiepe Electric that will see the modernization and conversion of several electric trolley bus fleets throughout Europe.
German manufacturer Kiepe Electric has commissioned Voltabox with the delivery of 80 modular battery systems that will be utilized in the standardization of electric trolley bus fleets in major cities located in Switzerland and Italy. In their attempt to phase out harmful diesel backup generators, Voltabox has developed a solution that considerably simplifies the conversion of trolley bus auxiliary drives to modern lithium-ion battery systems by utilizing the three structurally identical standard containers that make up a single modular battery system.
As part of their long-term contract with Voltabox, Kiepe Electric also placed orders for 240 standard battery system containers that will be fitted to various electric trolley buses. Voltabox will also supply the corresponding air-conditioning
systems required for the liquid cooling of the battery systems to ensure stable operation during extreme changes in temperature, a common occurrence in many regions of Italy.
The electric trolley buses to be fitted with Voltabox’s battery systems will be able to charge during their normal operations through various catenary wire, allowing for uninterrupted 24-hour use. On average, roughly 8,000 passengers use trolley bus services per hour and direction, making them one of the cleanest and most economical forms of public transportation to date.
Jürgen Pampel, Chief Executive Officer of Voltabox AG, commented on the delivery, stating:
“We are very happy that a number of large European cities, as operators of trolleybus fleets, are again relying on the joint expertise of Voltabox and Kiepe Electric for the modernization of their vehicles. In the market, this partnership is recognized as a leader in the equipment of trolleybuses with state-of-the-art drives. The next generation of high performance LTO battery systems based on our standard containers allows us to offer cities and their public transport companies a smart solution to upgrade their existing trolleybus fleets with sustainable, emission-free drives in a fast and efficient manner.”
Delivery of the electric battery systems is expected to begin in the middle of this year and conclude by spring 2021.
Source: Voltabox
