Joint push for electric bus battery improvements
Keolis, Iveco Bus and Forsee Power have joined forces to optimise the performance of batteries for electric buses. The three companies have signed a partnership agreement to improve knowledge of how electric bus batteries function by pooling their own specific expertise. The goal is to improve control over the ageing of batteries and to optimise the use of these assets, a key technical and economic challenge in electric bus systems.
The first trials will take place in the public transport network in Aix-en-Provence, in south-eastern France (Aixenbus), which has a fleet of 41 electric buses.
Pierre Gosset, industrial director, Keolis group, says: “This partnership marks an important step for Keolis Group in improving our knowledge of batteries. The fleet and the network in Aix-en-Provence offers us the opportunity to conduct a life-sized experiment that will enable us to monitor the equipment over time, in different seasons and conditions in the field.
“The goal is to better our understanding of batteries, then to control the battery ageing process, in order to improve their reliability, reduce risks and, if possible, extend their lifespan. By sharing their knowledge, the partners will be able to assess the actual performance of the batteries in service, and the factors that affect their lifespan, more precisely.”
The first phase of this partnership, which is already in progress, consists mainly of sharing knowledge in order to assign the members to their respective fields of expertise. The second phase, which will last until the end of 2022, will involve a diagnostic of the current situation and the identification of opportunities for optimisation. A new phase will start in 2023 to optimise the use and operation of the electric vehicles, in order to slow down the battery ageing process and to make energy savings in particular.