MAXWELL awarded with $13.5 million contract to supply ultracapacitors

A China's leading transit bus manufacturer has awarded a contract to Maxwell Technologies to supply BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor modules to support braking energy recuperation and torque assist functions in diesel-electric hybrid transit buses.

Maxwell has already started delivering its 48-V BMOD0165 P048 modules produced by its contract manufacturers in China. Maxwell estimates that more than 150 hybrid buses with BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor-based energy storage systems already are in service, and that number is now expected to grow to nearly 1,000 by year-end.

"Ultracapacitors' efficiency in recapturing energy from braking and their low maintenance requirements and long operational life make them an ideal energy storage solution for the demanding duty cycles of electric and hybrid transit vehicles," Schramm said. "BOOSTCAP modules have demonstrated reliable performance and high efficiency in the first wave of vehicles that have gone into service, and the ability to connect these modules in series to meet various voltage requirements allows for easy integration into virtually any type or size of heavy vehicle.

"China's leading bus OEMs have developed an array of electric and hybrid drive systems for cleaner, more efficient, transit buses, trolleys and other commercial vehicles," Schramm said. "Working with a number of them has given Maxwell a better understanding of the requirements of the heavy vehicle industry and enabled us to expand our presence in the dynamic and rapidly growing Chinese market.

"BOOSTCAP modules meet transportation industry requirements for watt-hours of energy storage and watts of power delivery per kilogram, and are designed to perform reliably through one million or more deep discharge cycles, or about 10 years of operational life for most vehicles," Schramm added. "These attributes make them a preferred energy storage option for many types of public transit and commercial vehicles, so heavy vehicle applications are becoming a major driver for global growth in BOOSTCAP product sales."

To know further on BMOD0165 P048 modules visit, www.maxwell.com/ultracapacitors/products/modules/bmod0165-48-6v.asp.

Ultracapacitors store energy like batteries but only for short duration. They have far higher energy density than batteries due to which they are highly suitable for storing large amount of energy for short duration. This exactly fits the requirements of hybrid automotives, where IC combustion engine runs at optimum efficiency to charge these ultracapacitors (might be in combination with lead acid, NiMH or lithium ion batteries). These charged ultracapacitors would power the AC motor to drive the vehicle.