Siemens Industry, Inc.’s Drive Technologies Division has finalized a supplier agreement to provide electric drive propulsion system components for DesignLine, Charlotte, NC, a designer and manufacturer of commercial all-electric, range-extended electric and CNG buses. Through this relationship with DesignLine, Siemens will provide Permanent Magnet Excited Motors (PEM), inverters and voltage protection modules to support the rear-axle drive systems of seven new all-electric buses being manufactured by DesignLine for the Société de transport de Montréal (STM).
In May, DesignLine announced a $5.9 million deal with STM for the purchase of all-electric “midi buses.” Capable of carrying 36 people, each midi bus will feature low floors and will have a range of approximately 100 miles on a single charge. The buses, which are expected to be delivered by mid-2013, should operate in Old Montréal. The STM has strategic plans that call for more electric vehicles, thus helping to reduce and/or eliminate both noise levels and emissions.
Within the next months, Siemens will localize the manufacturing and assembly of its hybrid traction drive components at the company’s Alpharetta, GA plant.