Nova Bus has launched the LFSe+, its newest fully electric bus.
The new bus was launched at the American Public Transportation Association’s TRANSform Conference in New York City.
Nova’s LFSe was the first electric bus in the industry to pass the full test at Altoona in June of last year, and the LFSe+ is built on the LFSe platform.
The LFSe+ integrates the traction motor and power electronics from BAE Systems, which uses advanced materials such as silicon carbide to improve heat management. The lower weight and increased power density of the BAE system also contribute to performance and durability. Powered by an integrated modular system, the electric motor significantly decreases maintenance costs and emits no greenhouse gas emissions, Nova Bus says.
With a total battery capacity of 594 kWh, the LFSe+ has can run between 211 and 292 miles (340 to 470 km) before needing a charge, depending on power demands and operating conditions. It offers dual charging options to keep it going – OppCharge and depot charging. The common-interface OppCharge technology, developed by Volvo and partners, uses a pantograph mounted on an external infrastructure for quick charging while in service. Depot charging technology, meanwhile, plugs directly into the bus to provide current to the battery while the bus is parked, for instance overnight.
The two Canadian Nova Bus plants, located in Saint-Eustache and Saint-François-du-Lac in the province of Quebec, currently employs more than 1,000 people, while the Plattsburgh plant in New York has more than 300 employees.
