Forsee Power Group, a provider of smart battery systems for sustainable electromobility, says BAE Systems will equip a Class 7 demonstration truck Gen3 powertrain with the FORSEE ZEN PLUS battery system in North America.
Forsee has established its North American headquarters and production facility in Columbus, Ohio. The new factory will produce battery systems that are Buy America-compliant.
BAE provides zero-emission powertrains to vehicle manufacturers. It offers a wide range of solutions, from 100% battery to hydrogen fuel cell propulsion to enable full zero-emission operation in medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. BAE’s Gen3 electric drive builds on 25 years of innovation with low- and zero-emission platforms. The group has nearly five billion revenue service miles on its products, operating worldwide through 16,000 transit buses, as well as marine vessels, and military and industrial vehicles.
The Forsee battery system, composed of three packs of the ZEN 77 PLUS, provides 231 kWh for an average range of 200 electric vehicle miles.
Forsee’s broad range of batteries features technologies that suit all operating modes of heavy electric vehicles, adapting to overnight charging, fast charging or hydrogen fuel cell propulsion. The group has already equipped more than 3,000 buses worldwide, making it the leading bus battery provider outside of China. It is also leading the European market for heavy-duty hydrogen vehicle batteries.
ZEN PLUS batteries offer a specific energy of 180 Wh/kg. This permits the vehicles to operate without charging for an extended period. ZEN PLUS is the first battery system for commercial vehicles to be available in a common format at several system voltages (including 650 and 800 volts, two of the more common intervals). This makes it easy for driveline integrators such as BAE to adopt new power conversion strategies without affecting the mechanical integration of the battery system.
Forsee’s cell selection and thermal management strategy permit an extended cycle life for its batteries, in any operating environment. The ZEN PLUS battery system is based on proven NMC lithium-ion cells with a lifetime of over 5,000 cycles.
“We are proud to collaborate with BAE Systems in the United States, with whom we share a common vision for sustainable, zero-emission transport,” says Jay Deis, vice president–North America at Forsee. “The electric truck market in the U.S. — and in the Americas in general — is the fastest-growing in the world; from 3,000 units sold in 2022, it will grow to 70,000 in 20231. Class 7 trucks represent an ideal case for conversion to 100% battery powertrains. Our ZEN PLUS batteries will be manufactured in Columbus, Ohio, from early 2024, where we will produce Buy America-compliant battery systems for the commercial vehicle market.”