German battery builder AKASOL presented its new AKASYSTEM OEM battery system at the recent Busworld Europe trade show. AKASYSTEM OEM is a complete roof installation for commercial vehicles, including a chiller and other components. It features compact dimensions (150x700x1,700 mm) and a modular design.

The new system integrates standardized PHEV battery modules from major manufacturers. “This fact alone is reflected in an economically attractive price-performance ratio,” says Sven Schulz, CEO of AKASOL. “Our customers also benefit from the economies of scale resulting from our serial production supply to various OEMs for electrically powered buses and trucks, as well as construction and special vehicles.”

AKASYSTEM OEM is scalable, and can be adapted to match specific customer requirements. It uses a novel water/glycol cooling system which is designed to provide optimal thermal conditions. The system is designed to last for over 3,000 full cycles and can be charged at up to 500 kW.

The standard version has a storage capacity of 24.4 kWh at a voltage of 661 V (nominal) and achieves an output of 150 kWp. Energy and power can be scaled up by connecting an unlimited number of units in parallel.

AKASOL says two “well-known European bus manufacturers” will be using the technology starting in 2018, equipping some 10,000 e-buses over the next few years. AKASOL is expanding its facilities to meet growing demand – it has plans for two new production sites with more than 3,700 square meters of space, and eventually aims to expand capacity to 600 MWh per year (enough to equip 2,000 to 3,000 buses).

Source: AKASOL