Birmingham company Grayson Thermal Systems is celebrating 2,500 sales of its E-Drive electric fan system to bus and coach operators all over the world.
The electric fan system replaces hydraulic fans normally used to cool bus and coach engines, and has proven to deliver fuel savings of up to 10% as well as reducing both weight and noise on vehicles.
The system works by using a series of electric fans to provide localised coverage for air flowing over the radiator and charge air cooler, replacing conventional hydraulic fans traditionally used in transit bus vehicles.
The fans only engage once the engine reaches a certain temperature and return it to its optimum level, rather than operating continually. This reduces fuel consumption by up to 10%. The system also has an easy troubleshooting feature for reduced maintenance costs and a ‘kerb side quiet’ operation that automatically dampens the fans as the vehicle slows to a halt.
“We have invested a lot of resources on the development of E-Drive and it’s fantastic to see continued growth, with sales coming from the UK, France, Poland, Netherlands, North America and New Zealand,” explained Matthew Hateley, Account Manager at Grayson Thermal Systems.
“The system can be installed at original equipment production stage or retrospectively when operators are looking to replace components of their hydraulic system. We are now being specified by a host of global manufacturers as well as vehicle operators specifically requesting the Grayson system on all new fleet purchases.
“Retrofitting of our system is also available for all major European bus models, with each system bespoke to the chassis and engine to meet the original manufacturer’s demands.
“E-Drive sales have contributed significantly to us taking turnover from £24m to £26m this year and 20 new jobs have been directly created as a result.”
