From Norfolk to Buenos Aires, a new electric bus powered by an Equipmake drivetrain is set to begin in-service trials following successful tests.
Equipmake provided its Zero Emission Drivetrain for Argentine-Brazilian manufacturer Agrale’s new electric version of its single-deck MT17.0 LE bus, in partnership Argentine coachbuilder Todo Bus, which will be operated for the next 12 months in Argentina’s capital city.
The drivetrain, developed as part of the Advanced Propulsion Centre-funded Cost Effective Low Entry Bus project, is a 12-metre model capable of carrying 70 passengers with a range of up to 150 miles – more than enough for a day’s use.
The model features a 318kWh lithium-ion battery, an electric motor, producing 3,500Nm of torque at 1,000rpm and a maximum power of 400kW. The new buses, which will be run by Doyta S.A., the largest bus operator in Buenos Aires, will be recharged overnight in the company’s depot via a CSS2 DC charging point.
The aim of the trial is for mass manufacturing to eventually begin in Buenos Aires, with Agrale and Todo Bus using the licensed Equipmake ZED technology.
Ian Foley, CEO at Equipmake, said: “Through this Advanced Propulsion Centre-funded project, we have worked closely with Agrale along with other key partners, and the result is a state-of-the-art yet cost-effective bus.
“Buenos Aires has around 16,000 buses alone and electric buses can play a key role in helping the city hit its targets of halving carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050.”
