Bustech selects Proterra as battery technology supplier for new electric transit bus in Australia
Australia-based BusTech and Proterra announced a new collaboration to manufacture BusTech’s all-electric ZDi 12.5-meter transit bus utilising Proterra’s battery technology platform.
The partnership marks Proterra’s entry into the Australian market and will be the company’s first Proterra Powered battery electric vehicle operating outside North America.
Under the partnership, BusTech will incorporate Proterra’s battery technology into the ZDi’s integrated chassis systems. The Proterra battery system powering the all-electric ZDi transit bus will feature 450 kWh of energy capacity that will enable an estimated 325 km (202 miles) of drive range on a single charge. The vehicle can fully charge in about two hours.
Proterra battery packs incorporate features such as liquid cooling with an active thermal management system that will ensure optimal charging and maximise battery life by maintaining a constant battery temperature in Australia’s demanding climate.
The technical partnership will use Proterra’s battery technology while ensuring overall vehicle manufacturing and assembly is consistent with local supply chains on shore in Australia. Operating as a core technology partner, Proterra will provide training and development support to strengthen BusTech’s in-country service network and experience with the battery product.
Proterra batteries are manufactured with safety mechanisms built directly into the battery architecture and have undergone extensive testing to meet exacting safety standards. Proterra battery systems incorporate Proterra’s patented technology, monitoring sensors throughout the battery pack, and passive propagation resistance, which isolates individual battery cells in the rare case of a thermal event to prevent wider spread.
Established in 1995, BusTech developed the first electric bus in Australia and is recognised as a leader in innovation and electric vehicle product development in the Australasian market. In 2019, BusTech joined with the Australian Bus Corporation (ABC) to form the largest bus manufacturer in Australia.
Proterra Powered leverages Proterra’s electric vehicle technology and expertise to help commercial vehicle manufacturers electrify their vehicles. As an OEM that uses its own battery technology to power its fleet of heavy-duty electric transit buses, Proterra brings more than a decade of experience manufacturing, testing and delivering EVs. To date, Proterra Powered has helped OEMs such as Thomas Built Bus, Van Hool, FCCC, and Optimal-EV introduce 100% battery-electric vehicles that are powered by Proterra electric vehicle technology
