The prototype bus is assembled on a chassis with a permissible weight of up to 18 tonnes. It has an estimated range of 60 kilometres and can be recharged in 10 minutes using a 300 kW pantograph. The bus is equipped with four lithium battery packs with niobium added to the battery anodes. The usable capacity of each of the batteries is 30 kWh.
The anode structure of the niobium-added battery pack allows it to withstand ultra-fast recharging and can operate at more moderate temperatures. This means longer battery life, safety and lower energy consumption due to the reduced need for system cooling.
This is a joint project between CBMM, Toshiba and Volkswagen Truck & Bus. CBMM has extensive experience in the production and commercialisation of niobium. Toshiba, in turn, develops and manufactures batteries. CBMM and Toshiba have been developing the technology for adding niobium to anodes in lithium-ion battery cells for six years. In 2021, the project was expanded through a partnership with Volkswagen Truck & Bus.
The new technology will be tested and improved during the actual operation of the bus in Brazil. The vehicle will run daily on a fixed route with recharging from a pantograph at the start or end of the journey. The trials will show what adjustments need to be made before commercialisation in the future.
The test period remains uncertain and will be adjusted depending on the development of the project. The trials are expected to be extended to a small fleet of electric buses in the medium term. According to preliminary estimates, batteries with NTO technology could be on the market as early as 2025.
Source: Volkswagen Truck & Bus
