The multi-million euro contract – announced at the IAA Show, in Hanover – will see Skeleton’s ultracapacitors fitted to Wrights Group’s latest KERS-enabled hybrid-electric double- and single-deck buses.
Tests of the product in double-deckers revealed a 36% fuel saving compared to a UK-based EuroVI diesel bus baseline. It is also said to add at least another three passengers to the capacity of these buses compared to a lithium battery-based hybrid equivalent.
Skeleton says the use of graphene “significantly increases power and energy density extractable from ultracapacitor, while keeping their internal resistance low and prolonging their lifetime”. The cells, it adds, also enable operators to reduce maintenance costs, with an estimated lifespan of 12-15 years.
“Skeleton Technologies’ ultracapacitors provide a major fuel saving and will reduce maintenance with a long lifetime. It is also a ‘plug-and-play’ solution, adding safety and reliability to the vehicles,” said Mark Nodder, chairman and CEO of the Wrights Group.