Researchers from the Department of Engineering have begun a collaborative project to develop a platform for powering ultra-low-emission buses.
The challenges are huge, but the potential for air quality improvement is also huge.
Professor John Miles
A team led by Professor John Miles of the Department's Energy Group will work with companies such as Wrightbus, Magtec and Chargemaster on the programme which will design a modular, common platform for ultra-low-emission vehicles. The goal is to research, design and integrate novel charging methods into electric buses and produce a system able to power a fleet of vehicles.
“We are planning to store the batteries to power the bus in a ‘power floor’, converting an area that is an integral part of public transport into a place where useful power cells can be placed,” said Professor Miles. “The challenges are huge, but the potential for air quality improvement is also huge.”
According to Marcus Jenkins, Managing Director at Magtec, the research will create a robust, innovative, and cost-effective bus powered by advanced propulsion technologies. These technologies will have the capability to reduce CO2 emissions in both hybrid and electric-only vehicles.
Funding for the collaboration was provided in part by the Advanced Propulsion Centre, an organisation formed in 2013 to position the UK as a global centre of excellence for low-carbon development.
The goal is to have a production-ready system in place within three years.
