Equipmake is ready to repower Wrightbus Streetdeck buses with modular drivetrain and 436 kWh battery

Latest version of Equipmake’s modular electric chassis is set to be used for repowering of one of the UK’s most in-service double deckers: the Wrightbus Streetdeck. The conversion implies “no reduction in passenger carrying capacity giving”, Equipmake states.

Oddly enough, the same Wrightbus is betting high on repowering business through the newly-launched enterprise NewPower, making use of Forsee Power battery systems and having a goal of 1,000 conversion within 3 years.

Equipmake has already been tasked so far to repower Optare buses and double-decker vehicles for sightseeing operations.

Equipmake repowers Wrightbus Streetdeck

Specifications of Equipmake-made conversion include a 436kWh battery, up to 200-miles of daily range and 3500Nm torque enabled by HTM electric motor. Price? Still according from Equipmake’s figues: “less than £200,000”.

Launched in 2014, the Streetdeck is one of the most popular double decker buses in service in the UK, with many thousands of vehicles in operation across the country by the UK’s biggest fleets. Equipmake had revelead full details of the very latest version of its cutting-edge modular electric chassis for the Streetdeck, which “brings an unparalleled blend of range, battery capacity, performance and cost, with no compromise on passenger capacity”, Equipmake claims.

Equipmake’s Zero Emissions Drivetrain (ZED) features its proprietary electric motor, inverter, and power electronics, combined with the latest lithium-ion batteries. For the Streetdeck, Equipmake pairs its HTM 3500 motor – delivering 3,500Nm of torque at 1,000rpm and peak power of 400kW, seamlessly integrated into the prop shaft without the need for a separate transmission – with a Semikron SKAI inverter and a 436kWh lithium-ion battery.

£200,000: the cost of the conversion

One of the most important features of the ZED is its patented, ultra-efficient thermal management system, which maintains the battery pack, motor and inverter at an optimal temperature, therefore maximising vehicle range, Equipmake stresses. An advanced water-glycol cooling circuit brings an additional benefit by providing interior heating during cold conditions with captured thermal energy.

Equipmake says it’s able to complete zero emission Streetdecks in just three weeks, while at a cost of under £200,000 for 436kWh, a Streetdeck repowered by Equipmake is priced at less than half a brand-new electric bus.

Ian Foley, CEO, Equipmake said: “The Wrightbus Streetdeck is one of the most popular double deckers on UK fleets and the conversion of these buses will not only have a huge positive impact on local air quality but provide operators with a vehicle with lower running costs and a better experience for passengers and drivers. We’ve worked incredibly hard to develop this stand-out electric repower solution for the Streetdeck and the results are sector-leading. Our Zero Emission Drivetrain technology has a crucial role to play in accelerating the transition to a fully electric UK fleet – and we look forward to converting as many of these vehicles as possible in the coming months.”