Photo: Equipmake
Commercial vehicle electrification firm Equipmake, together with Spanish coachbuilder Beulas, has just unveiled the Jewel E, a state-of-the-art fully electric double decker bus featuring battery options of up to 543 kWh and a maximum range of 250 miles (402 km) on a single charge, which is more than enough for a day’s running.
The global electric bus market is expected to expand from 300,000 vehicles per year to one million by 2030, and the Jewel E, set to be manufactured next year at a new facility in Norfolk, should play a key role in helping the UK Government achieve its target of launching a minimum of 4,000 new British-built zero emission buses within the UK by 2024.
The Jewel E is powered by Equipmake’s advanced propulsion technology, the so-called Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED) - which is already being used in single decker form on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Here however, power comes from the company’s HTM 3500 motor, which combines high torque with low motor speeds, specifically 3,500 Nm (2,581 lb-ft) at just 1,000 rpm, plus a maximum power output of 400 kW (536 hp).
Other technical highlights include the highly efficient thermal management system, which keeps the motor, inverter and the battery operating at optimum temperatures thanks to a water-glycol cooling circuit. Meanwhile, when the battery needs replenishment, the bus can be recharged at the depot overnight using a CSS DC charging port.
According to its makers, the Jewel E also happens to be the first EV bus to meet the latest Transport for London (TfL) bus safety standard specifications and requirements for 2024.
Testing of the Jewel E will begin later this year, with in-service trials expected to start in Q1 of 2022.
“Improving urban air quality is a global problem. At the same time, operators want vehicles that are cost-effective and highly efficient, while Governments and local bodies need bus manufacturers to bring advanced technology to market quickly. Equipmake has taken all of this into account and the result is our innovative new EV double decker, Jewel E,” said the firm’s managing director, Ian Foley.
The Jewel E is powered by Equipmake’s advanced propulsion technology, the so-called Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED) - which is already being used in single decker form on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Here however, power comes from the company’s HTM 3500 motor, which combines high torque with low motor speeds, specifically 3,500 Nm (2,581 lb-ft) at just 1,000 rpm, plus a maximum power output of 400 kW (536 hp).
Other technical highlights include the highly efficient thermal management system, which keeps the motor, inverter and the battery operating at optimum temperatures thanks to a water-glycol cooling circuit. Meanwhile, when the battery needs replenishment, the bus can be recharged at the depot overnight using a CSS DC charging port.
According to its makers, the Jewel E also happens to be the first EV bus to meet the latest Transport for London (TfL) bus safety standard specifications and requirements for 2024.
Testing of the Jewel E will begin later this year, with in-service trials expected to start in Q1 of 2022.
“Improving urban air quality is a global problem. At the same time, operators want vehicles that are cost-effective and highly efficient, while Governments and local bodies need bus manufacturers to bring advanced technology to market quickly. Equipmake has taken all of this into account and the result is our innovative new EV double decker, Jewel E,” said the firm’s managing director, Ian Foley.
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