Leclanché signs preferred partnership agreement with Škoda Electric to supply battery packs for electric buses
26 June 2017
Energy storage company Leclanché SA and Škoda Electric, a manufacturer of electric drives and traction motors for trolley and electric buses, have signed a Joint Development Agreement and Framework Purchase Contract through which Leclanché will provide Škoda Electric with battery solutions for its electric bus expansion strategy. The agreement is worldwide in scope and will operate for an initial term of five years.
Leclanché will provide Škoda Electric with high energy (larger G/NMC batteries for overnight charging) and ultra-fast power battery solutions (smaller LTO battery packs for more regular charging, such as at bus stations during the day) for its e-buses. Its solutions will be modular, thereby enabling Škoda Electric to build e-buses from 6 meters to 26 meters across all market segments.
The first targeted delivery of the partnership will be the release of a battery system by the end of this year, scalable between 50 - 350kWh and certified for the European market according to ECE-R100.r2.
In 2015 Leclanché unveiled its first all-electric bus in Belgium. Now the European e-bus industry is at a watershed moment as proven battery technology and tighter environmental legislation make electric buses economically competitive with diesel. We are delighted to announce our partnership with Škoda Electric and to take a leading role in the development of Europe’s e-bus market. The industry is set to see considerable growth in the next few years and we look forward to the economic contribution that the agreement with Škoda Electric will make to Leclanché’s transport business.
—Anil Srivastava, CEO of Leclanché
The global e-bus fleet comprised approximately 173,000 vehicles in 2015 of which 170,000 were in China. Europe is the second biggest market for e-buses and by 2016 the continent had more than 1,300 vehicles delivered or on order, according to the European ZeEUS project. The industrial e-transport sector is expected to expand at a CAGR of 37% over the coming years, according to Navigant Research.
Most European metropolitan areas are targeting zero-emission environments, and increasing numbers of transport companies are considering a fully-electric solution for their urban bus networks.
In addition to e-buses, the Joint Development Agreement covers battery systems for a comprehensive range of uses, from passenger vehicles to off-road equipment.
A hand to China with 170,000 e-buses on a world total of 173,000 units (over 98%).
We have a lot of catching up to do?
Posted by: HarveyD | 26 June 2017 at 06:21 PM
Can't catch up as long as Trump and the Republicans keep fighting against clean energy.
Posted by: Lad | 26 June 2017 at 11:00 PM
DT is not buying e-buses, cities are?
Our provincial government is paying 90+% of all city buses (including e-buses) and we have only 3 e-buses in operation. Our cities are not moving very fast.
However, we have a huge surplus of clean low cost hydro but not the will to use it.
Posted by: HarveyD | 27 June 2017 at 08:59 AM