Equipmake, a market leader in engineering-driven differentiated electrification technologies, products and solutions across the automotive, truck, bus and speciality vehicle industries, is pleased to announce that it has played a key role in Argentina’s first, domestically manufactured, electric bus entering operation in Buenos Aires.
The MT17.0e, which features Equipmake’s proprietary Zero Emission Drivetrain (ZED) fully electric technology, is running on Line 28 operated by DOTA S.A, connecting the neighbourhoods of Liniers with Retiro in Argentina’s capital city.
Working with Agrale and Todo Bus, Equipmake’s ZED forms an integral part of the single-deck Agrale MT17.0e which has been developed as part of the Advanced Propulsion Centre-funded CELEB (Cost Effective Low Entry Bus) scheme. The project has seen Equipmake lead multiple international partners over the last five years, with the objective of delivering a cost-effective bus designed for the South American market.
The MT17.0e pairs Equipmake’s HTM 3500 motor – which delivers 3,500Nm of torque at 1,000rpm and a peak power output of 400kW, aseamlessly integrated into the prop shaft without the need for a separate transition – with a Semikron SKAI inverter. Optimised for dependable daily service, the comprehensive package features a state-of-the-art 318kWh lithium-ion battery, capable of delivering up to 155 miles (250km) of range and effortlessly recharged in the depot in 5-7hrs via a CSS2 DC charging point.
The Company understands that DOTA S.A has further plans to extend its MT17.0e fleet enabling more zero emission buses to operate in Buenos Aires.
Ian Foley, CEO, Equipmake said: “We are delighted that DOTA S.A has put this pioneering electric bus into operation in Buenos Aires. This is Argentina’s first domestically manufactured e-bus and, together with our partners Agrale and Todo Bus, Equipmake is playing a key role in the acceleration of Buenos Aires’ mission to halve its carbon emissions by 2030 and become entirely carbon-neutral by 2050.
“The MT17.0e features Equipmake’s state-of-the-art electric zero emission drivetrain technology which has an important role to play in advancing the electrification of buses and heavy vehicles. We’re hugely excited about the transformative potential of our technology and the benefits it will bring to Buenos Aires and beyond in the years to come. Now that the vehicle has demonstrated it has met its performance targets in service, we hope to begin supplying Agrale in the short term to meet growing South American demand.”
Equipmake’s ZED is a modular and scalable electric drivetrain solution, its versatility making it applicable to both single and double-deck applications, across new buses and for repowering of existing vehicles. The technology features Equipmake’s in-house developed electric motor, inverter, and power electronics, which are combined with the latest lithium-ion batteries.
One of the most innovative and 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.
An advanced water-glycol cooling circuit brings an additional benefit by providing interior heating during cold conditions with captured thermal energy. Once the battery has been depleted following a duty cycle, it can be recharged at the depot via a CCS DC charging point.
Equipmake’s revolutionary technology has clear and proven advantages, with 90 tonnes of CO2 being saved by repurposing the existing chassis and body, rather than producing an entirely new double deck bus. Additionally, each conversion costs less than half the price of a new electric bus, and with most buses in service for more than 14 years, operators can make significant savings by repowering their buses halfway through its operational life cycle.
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