TRANSMISSION and commercial vehicle technology specialist Voith has presented new innovative and efficient bus products at IAA 2018, in Hannover, Germany: a new electrical drive system and the new DIWA NXT transmission, it’s reported.
Touted as key to more economical bus operation, the new innovative fully electrical drive system enters Voith into the growing market for e-mobility, the company says.
The electrical drive system is a well-balanced system that impresses with low weight and maximised efficiency, rounded off with an intelligent energy management system, it’s claimed.
The first prototype was installed in a Solaris Urbino electric, but the Voith system can be easily integrated into vehicles from other manufacturers without restrictions, says Voith.
Further, it offers outstanding driving performance with a torque of 2,250Nm and 260kW, it states
The system is being displayed at the “IAA Test-Drives with Electrically Powered Commercial Vehicles” section.
NEW BUS TRANSMISSION
Additionally, according to the company it is staying “on track” of efficient bus operation with the development of its new DIWA NXT transmission – which remains the number one choice for city buses, it’s stated.
The DIWA NXT features an optional mild-hybrid system with a 48V central recuperation unit (CRU). In addition, the new transmission perfectly meets the needs of the inter-city and coach segment by providing an additional overdrive gear, it’s stated.
First vehicle measurements confirm passenger comfort and the outstanding efficiency, it says. A first sample of the new DIWA NXT transmission will be displayed at the Voith booth at IAA.
STOP-START TECHNOLOGY
Already today, the Voith DIWA.6 automatic transmission offers an additional Stop-Start functionality, so that bus operators can increase the profitability of their vehicles while also providing added value for the environment, the company says.
More than 1,500 buses have been fitted with DIWA.6 Stop-Start technology, providing daily proof of its reliability and usefulness, it’s believed. Depending on the duty cycle, this enables fuel savings of up to 12 per cent, it’s claimed.
Also, another piece of useful technology is the Voith ECO-SWR (secondary water retarder), which is ‘disconnectable’ during idling and uses water to brake.
It is designed for buses as well as trucks and uses the engine coolant as its operating medium. In this way, the ECO-SWR handles up to 90 per cent of all vehicle braking wear-free, it’s stated.
UNIQUE BUS SERVICES
‘Smart Maintenance’ enables a more efficient operation for bus operators, as well as optimised vehicle maintenance, says Voith.
It regularly monitors the condition of the automatic transmission, reducing unplanned service-related downtimes, increasing vehicle availability, and enabling improved and foresighted maintenance planning, it’s stated.
Most usefully, the vehicle data is transmitted to Voith servers, where it is evaluated with state-of-the-art technology, says the company.
Based on Smart Maintenance, Voith also offers cost-effective, tailored service contracts with individual warranties, uptime guarantees, and short reaction times. This results in maximum fleet availability and optimised workshop planning, it states.
EFFICIENCY AND EMISSIONS
The On Efficiency solutions by Voith increase fuel efficiency by both technical enablement based on advanced configuration of the transmission, plus via people enablement based on motivating the driver to improve his driving behaviour and to provide real-time information about driving style.
The new On Efficiency Smart Accelerate is a software configuration update for the DIWA transmission, which increases the embedded intelligence in city buses, offering operational optimisation without the need for any specific training for drivers. The system aims to significantly and sustainably reduce fuel consumption of buses, it’s stated.
Furthermore, it combines the signals acquired from existing sensors in Voith’s automatic transmission system with information from the CAN network to interact with the driver’s commands and the vehicle’s dynamic behaviour.
This mobility software solution takes current technologies to the next level in terms of CO2 emission cutbacks without the need for significantly more expensive and complex solutions, says Voith.
On Efficiency Driver Assist aims to motivate the driver to improve driving behaviour, while enabling fleet managers to run a more efficient operation, it’s claimed.
Utilising Voith’s domain knowledge in drive technology and local public transport, this solution provides the driver with real-time information about driving style.
Furthermore, it helps to keep the driver engaged and motivated, and thus reduces fuel consumption in the short and long term. Unlike existing advisory systems, On Efficiency Driver Assist is a comprehensive platform that provides transparent and easily implementable insights about how to increase fuel efficiency, says Voith.
ABOUT VOITH
Voith Turbo, a Group Division of Voith, is a specialist for intelligent drive solutions, systems and comprehensive services, it states.
Customers from highly diverse industries such as oil and gas, energy, rail and commercial vehicles, ship technology, mining and mechanical engineering rely on the advanced technologies and solutions-driven expertise of Voith Turbo, it says.
Voith is a global technology group. With its broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, oil and gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Founded in 1867, Voith today has more than 19,000 employees, sales of € 4.2 billion and locations in over 60 countries worldwide and is thus one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe.