Kiepe to upgrade batteries of up to 170 trolley buses in Seattle
King County Metro plans to upgrade the battery for up to 170 New Flyer Xcelsior XT40 and XT60 battery trolley buses. According to the type designations, the buses are 40 and 60 feet long, corresponding to 12 and 18 metres, respectively. The vehicles currently have a 26 kWh battery on board to cover short distances without overhead lines. In future, they will have “three times the capacity,” which should correspond to around 75 to 80 kWh. It should make it possible to cover about eleven kilometres without overhead lines.
The basis of Kiepe’s system is what is known as In Motion Charging (IMC). The buses charge their battery via the overhead line while travelling and then use energy from the battery on routes without overhead lines. For the new order, the German supplier customised the improved battery pack for the up to ten-year-old Seattle fleet of New Flyer buses. In addition to the battery packs, the system includes improved on-board chargers that are now three times more powerful.
According to Kiepe, four pilot vehicles already have the new traction batteries and the more powerful chargers. “This new technology, manufactured and tested in the USA, can be seamlessly installed into the existing buses. The service package includes on-site support, power electronic overhauls and customer training for the team at the repair centre in King County,” the company says in its press release. Kiepe’s service package also includes on-site support, overhaul of the power electronics and customer training at the repair centre in King County. In this context, the additional agreement that Kiepe will provide on-site support for up to five years is also new.
“We are proud to once again contribute to this quality of life with our IMC technology as part of our long-standing partnership with King County Metro,” said Alexander Ketterl, CEO of the Kiepe Group. “This is where KIEPE’s customer proximity pays off with a presence and a well-coordinated, dedicated team in the USA. The extensive battery upgrade is in line with Kiepe’s goal of reducing emissions as part of long-term lifecycle management and improving public transportation with state-of-the-art technology.”
King County Metro signed a framework agreement with North American bus manufacturer Gillig in the spring to supply up to 395 battery-electric buses. The company is active throughout the greater Seattle area and wants to become “the first large transit agency in North America that is 100% zero-emission.”
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