Next stop: E-Mobility - with the new Voith Electrical Drive System
The perfect drive system for changing intra-urban mobility: As an established system supplier with many years of experience and a partner to the bus industry, we have combined our comprehensive know-how in the fields of drive systems and E-Mobility. Voith has developed a pioneering electrical drive system for local public transit. The Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS).
The biggest advantage for our customers is that we offer them the most efficient driveline on the market. The energy consumption of the VEDS is up to 20% lower than that of our competitors. We thereby enable our customers to increase the range of their vehicles. Another advantage is that our system is suitable for all types of commercial vehicles, such as buses, trucks, but also off-road vehicles. Furthermore, it has been developed for battery electric, but also for fuel cell powered vehicles.
Robin Gundel, Product Manager E-Mobility, Voith Turbo
System changeover - with maximum safety ensured through a complete e-drivetrain solution from a single source
The Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS) is an electric direct drive system for OEM independent city bus (solo, double deck, school, and articulated buses) and coach applications with both battery-electric and fuel cell electric power sources. It combines a water-cooled permanent magnet motor with an inverter and control software; further auxiliary components are optionally possible. With the integrated system approach of the VEDS, all system components are perfectly aligned with each other. It begins with hardware components such as electric motors, traction inverters and high-voltage distribution systems, and extends to software components such as drive control and energy management.
As a result, the drive system provides a low-weight solution with its compact design, enabling a lower energy consumption during operation and a range increase. Performance is another key factor. With a torque of 3,100 Nm and a power of 310 kW (continuous power) the heavy-duty (HD) direct drive electric motor is suitable for solo buses, heavy articulated or double-deck buses. The medium duty (MD) electric motor shows a torque of 2,850 Nm with an output of 230 kW (continuous power), suitable for medium-duty buses.
Quiet, reliable, and powerful - the innovative e-drive system
VEDS small scope provides the basis components of an e-drive system for different bus applications. It consists of an electric motor, a traction inverter, and corresponding drive management unit.
Voith supplies different electric motors and inverters depending on the customer’s bus application. The customer can choose between the medium duty and heavy duty motor variant.
Besides the small scope of the electric drivetrain (electric motor, inverter, and drive management unit), Voith supplies further auxiliary components.
The VEDS extended scope includes auxiliary components such as auxiliary inverters, cables, power distribution box, charging control unit, and a DCDC converter for fuel cell applications.
Secured control for 7 HV components and DMU incl. CAN Bus
Temperature range: -20°C…+65°C
The central benefits of the Voith Electrical Drive System at a glance.
Two motor variants possible: HD or MD E-Motor
With DCDC converter suitable for fuel cell application
First e-drive system with functional safety conformity (ISO 26262) and isolation class IP6K9K
Customer support over the whole product life cycle
Modular approach with various power levels and high flexibility in the direction of interfaces within VEDS
Best in class efficiency officially approved by independent UK authority
A groundbreaking solution for public transportation vehicles - in use worldwide
About five years ago, Voith unveiled the Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS), a groundbreaking solution for public transportation vehicles. Today, numerous manufacturers have already equipped their new electric vehicles with our VEDS. Due to its compact design and high flexibility, our VEDS can be easily integrated into electric vehicles or used to convert conventional or hybrid buses and trucks.
Two bus models, one result: Best-in-class efficiency
Wrightbus and Voith have successfully started the development of the battery electric bus models GB Kite Electroliner and StreetDeck Electroliner in 2020. Their excellent performance has already been tested independently – with groundbreaking results and best-in-class efficiency.
In 2023, both models have been certified as zero emission buses (ZEB) by the non-profit organization Zemo Partnership. In this context, the GB Kite Electroliner was named the most efficient single-deck battery electric bus in the UK. And the StreetDeck Electroliner has even set a world record for being the world’s most efficient electric double-deck bus. The basis for their great success: Both models are driven by our innovative VEDS.
Wrightbus StreetDeck Electroliner – 340 kWh
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Best-in-class efficiency with 0,68 kWh/km certified by Zemo
Wrightbus Kite Electroliner – 340 kWh
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Best-in-class efficiency with 0,66 kWh/km certified by Zemo
We have over 300 vehicles with Voith VEDS driveline in service today and over the next year in the production schedule we have more than a 1,000 vehicles with the Voith VEDS driveline planned.
Robert Best, Director Engineering, Wrightbus (Northern Ireland)
We have over 300 vehicles with Voith VEDS driveline in service today and over the next year in the production schedule we have more than a 1,000 vehicles with the Voith VEDS driveline planned.
Robert Best, Director Engineering, Wrightbus (Northern Ireland)
Experience VEDS with our online demonstrator
Developed as a fully electric solution for public transport, the Voith Electrical Drive System (VEDS) effectively combines our extensive know-how in drive manufacturing and E-Mobiltity. In four scenarios, our online demonstrator shows how this holistic approach proves its worth during operation, displaying the key performance values as they change depending on the situation.
Together with strong cooperation partners such as Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH and Pepper Motion GmbH, we are pushing the mobility transition at full speed. That is why the HD version of our VEDS is now also being used as standard in the first H2 truck (FCEV) built in Germany: the Paul Hydrogen Power Truck (PH2P). The energy for the electric drive is generated in a fuel cell.
Maximum performance, efficiency and comfort cell The PH2P truck impresses in series production with maximum performance, efficiency and comfort. Our VEDS is also the first electric drive system for city buses to be certified in accordance with ISO 26262 and therefore meets all functional safety requirements. This is certainly another milestone on the road to the mobility revolution - and of course also in the VEDS success story.
Together with strong cooperation partners such as Voith and Pepper Motion, we are starting the hydrogen truck revolution. By 2030, 45 percent of trucks should be CO2-neutral. That requires people who say: now we're going to drive this forward radically!
Bernhard Wasner, CEO of Paul Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH, Germany
