Reduced emissions and improved fuel economy from Flybrid® hybrid on display with Wrightbus at Coach & Bus Live 2015

Flybrid®KERS technology provides bus operators with durable, cost-effective option 

30th September 2015... Visitors to the Wrightbus stand at this year’s Coach & Bus Live, which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham, will be able to explore the cutting-edge Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) technology from leading UK low-carbon vehicle innovation company, Torotrak Group.

The Flybrid®KERS technology features a high speed flywheel that captures kinetic energy during deceleration and then transmits this to the wheels to provide increased acceleration and reduced fuel consumption. Bus operators will have the opportunity to discuss how they can make significant savings through the adoption of this highly cost-effective, mechanical hybrid system – just one month before applications for the first round of funding grants under the Low Emission Bus Scheme (LEB) close on 31stOctober.

The LEB is a £30million, 3-year commitment from Government to support the purchase of new, high efficiency buses by contributing towards the cost of low carbon vehicle technologies, such as hybrid systems. The cost of Torotrak Group’s Flybrid®technology is around a quarter of traditional battery hybrids, enabling fleet operators to benefit from fuel savings earlier and allowing their grant funding to go further. It also qualifies for the maximum 75% subsidy available under the LEB regulations for its class of technology.

“A mechanical KERS as fitted to the Wrightbus StreetLite enables operators to reduce fleet emissions by harnessing the potential of a robust, cost-effective hybrid system,” says Tobias Knichel, Torotrak Group Business Development Director. “Inner-city clean air objectives will continue to tighten, making increased uptake of hybrid buses crucial for the development of a low carbon public transport network in the UK. We believe that the Flybrid®system provides the perfect solution: its mechanical KERS design complements the lightweight chassis of the Wrightbus StreetLite midi, enhances the already fuel-efficient drivetrain and is perfect for the start-stop urban cycles experienced by public transport.”

The Flybrid®system as fitted to the Wrightbus demonstrators is situated parallel to the transmission and transmits power to the rear axle through a secondary propshaft. Energy is captured under deceleration and stored in a carbon-fibre and steel flywheel, before being deployed to accelerate the bus while proportionally reducing load on the internal combustion engine and saving fuel. “The Flybrid®system for buses has been extensively validated, having undergone a rigorous durability testing programme – its life cycle of 1,000,000km, 40,000 operational hours or 8,000,000 charge/discharge cycles is aligned with the anticipated lifetime of the vehicle to which it is fitted,” concludes Knichel.

Coach & Bus Live is the largest showcase of bus, coach and passenger transport technologies in the UK, and features live action, feature areas and comprehensive master classes aimed at commercial fleet operators.

The Flybrid®system can be seen on the Wrightbus stand, A1, throughout Wednesday 30thand Thursday 1st.

About Flybrid® KERS
Torotrak Group’s Flybrid® Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) is a market leader in the field of fully mechanical hybrid technology, using a high-speed flywheel to capture kinetic energy and decelerate a vehicle. This stored energy is then transferred mechanically back to the wheels and used to accelerate the vehicle, offering significant fuel savings by reducing the engine power required to accelerate. Torotrak has undertaken the design, development and testing of the technology from concept to production-ready and can support any new customer in understanding the benefits to specific vehicles and/or routes. The Flybrid® bus technology won the SMMT Award for Automotive Innovation in 2014, being cited as a potential game-changer for the UK vehicle industry due to its affordability and low carbon credentials.

About Torotrak
Torotrak (LSE: TRK) is an innovator and supplier of low carbon vehicle technologies, focussing on mechanical solutions that increase efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions in vehicles. These include the V-Charge variable-drive supercharger, a range of Torotrak gearless traction drive transmissions, and the Flybrid® energy recovery system, which uses a mechanically-driven flywheel to capture kinetic energy during braking and efficiently return it to the wheels. The company’s engineering team works with proven, global tier one technology partners to provide a validated route from prototypes to production. Customers include major vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers in the light duty, heavy duty and off-highway sectors as well as leading motorsport teams.  www.torotrak.com

Media Contact
Paul Chadderton at Market Engineering
paul.chadderton@m-eng.com
+44 (0)1295 277050

Torotrak Contact
Sophie Wragg, Marketing Associate
sophie.wragg@flybrid.co.uk
+44 (0) 1327 855190

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