Germany / UK - Since unveiling its prototype version of the Voith Electric Drive System (VEDS) for heavy-duty electric vehicles in 2018, Voith says the system is now fully developed and fully certified, and ready for series production, according to Alexander Denk, vice president product management e-mobility, Voith Turbo division, in a meeting with Truck & Bus Builder in June. It is now undergoing full homologation with several OEMs, said Denk, two of which have already been named and both are in the UK – Wrightbus of Ballymena for all its next generation battery-electric (BEV) and fuel cell (FCEV) buses for Europe and, Alexander Dennis Ltd of Larbert, for its next generation hydrogen fuel cell double deck bus (see articles in Truck & Bus Builder March 2021) – other truck and bus OEMs at this time cannot be named due to none-disclosure agreements (NDAs). However, due to its extensive relationship with multiple OEMs around the world as a supplier of key components for conventional drivetrains over many years, this has given Voith an advantage in terms of being able to hold discussions about the VEDS and how it might be integrated into an electric truck or bus chassis. Vehicles at Wrightbus and ADL with VEDS are expected to be introduced to  market towards the end of the year. 

Voith in strategic partnerships for retrofitting VEDS in buses and medium-duty trucks