A leading engineering and technology supplier from Germany, Voith is stepping up its game in the e-bus market with its latest manufacturer-independent complete system – Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS). It includes the electric motor with all drive components, control of the auxiliaries, high-voltage distribution, cooling system, and wiring of all these components. Additionally, the plug-and-play roof rack makes it easy for the bus makers to integrate all of these components into vehicles without a big effort. The water-cooled permanent magnet motor has a high power density of 340 kW and can be used in single, articulated and double-decker buses. A demo electric bus fitted with VEDS offered live demonstrations of the system at the expo.
Voith also showcased its new DIWA NXT automatic transmission for buses, featuring an optional mild-hybrid system with a 48 V central recuperation unit (CRU) and an additional overdrive gear. As a result, the DIWA automatic drive perfectly meets the needs of the intercity and coach segment. First vehicle findings confirm a high level of passenger comfort and outstanding efficiency. The company says the system will go into production by 2021. The company has recently acquired 56% stake in Swedish firm Pilotfish that develops cloud-based applications and on-board IT systems provider for public transport. The technology and domain knowledge of Pilotfish complement Voith’s activities in the mobility sector, and digitalisation of public transportation in particular.