Forsee Power, new generation extra-slim batteries for Wrightbus zero emission buses

Forsee Power has signed a new contract with fuel cell bus producer Wrightbus for «several hundred battery systems per year». The French supplier has been equipping the buses of the northern Irish brand since 2013. Once again, it announces it has been designated as official supplier, thus pursuing its collaboration with Wrightbus. The French brand will deliver also its new generation extra-slim batteries ZEN-Slim.

New generation Forsee Power batteries for Wrightbus

Forsee Power announces it will also supply Wrightbus with its new generation of slim batteries, whose extra-flat format allows an easy integration into the chassis of vehicles (standard or double-decker buses).

First, Forsee Power will equip the buses with the new ZEN-Slim high-energy batteries (11 kWh, 16 kWh & 22 kWh). The flat format allows an easy integration into the floor or other vehicle spaces. These modular battery systems have an integrated liquid cooling system and will be intended for 100% electric buses with high autonomy and overnight charging. Each bus will be equipped with 333 kWh to 423 kWh.

Then, the new generation of FLEX-Slim batteries will complete the technical offer and will be integrated into hydrogen buses (standard or double-decker) and 100% electric buses.

Forsee Power – Wrightbus, a new deal

Starting in 2016, the Forsee Power and Wrightbus broadened their cooperation in the field of hydrogen buses, for which Forsee Power has developed the high-power Pulse technology. Leveraging also on this cooperation, Wrightbus won the JIVE (Joint Initiative for Hydrogen Vehicles Across Europe) call for tenders, and registered nearly 100 orders for hydrogen buses in major cities such as Aberdeen, London, or Liverpool.

The challenge of placing batteries on double-deckers

The extra- slim format of Forsee Power’s Pulse 2.5 modules combined with their very high power frees up the space necessary for the integration of fuel cells, especially in the double-decker Streetdeck buses that cannot integrate batteries in roofing while their consumption is higher than single-decker buses. The Streedeck H2 Buses thus reach a range of 320 km, according to the producer

Hydrogen is now at the forefront of the Wrightbus offer, who announced a plan for 3,000 hydrogen buses in May 2020.

The Bamford Group, new owner of the Wrightbus bus brand, has renewed its long-term partnership with Forsee Power with a contract for several hundred battery systems per year (the exact amount of the deal has not been disclosed). The equipment of the city of Belfast from 2021 will be a first key project, Forsee Power explains.

“One of Forsee Power’s strengths is our ability to develop the right technologies and products to meet our customers’ needs. This renewed trust from Wrightbus is a fine example of our international strike force with products suited to a wide variety of markets and applications” underlines Sébastien Rembauville-Nicolle, General Manager – Business Development at Forsee Power.

“We have always been delighted with the products and the professionalism of Forsee Power. There are few manufacturers specializing in heavy transport, and who know, moreover, how to develop cutting-edge, innovative products with proven reliability. So why change a winning team!” says Jim Morrison, New Product Development Manager at Wrightbus.