Bus manufacturer SAFRA is presenting its range of electric vehicles under the Businova® brand at the BePOSITIVE trade show in Lyon from February 13 to 15. With the marketing of its Businova in hydrogen version in 2018, SAFRA has become the first French manufacturer of hydrogen buses. This participation as an exhibitor at this show will be an opportunity to explain the advantages of hydrogen in the transport sector.
Thanks to its innovative architecture, which allows the vehicle to evolve towards different motorization modes, the Businova is now offered in 3 sizes and 4 motorizations. The Businova is marketed in a very low emission mode with its “rechargeable hybrid electric” range offered with a Diesel (Euro VI) or CNG extender, which perfectly meets the requirements of group 1 of the decree of the energy transition law for green growth. It is also available in a zero-emission version, in 100% electric with a slow recharging system in the evening at the depot, or a fast recharging system using a reverse pantograph, but also in a hydrogen version. It is on these aspects of operating agility and vehicle scalability that the Businova keeps a real lead over its competitors.
As for the hydrogen version, the motorization system makes it possible to maintain a reduced battery capacity by providing additional energy. SAFRA has adapted a hydrogen system to the initial 250 kW electric drive train, powered by a 132 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The fuel cell is supplied by Michelin, and the system integrates a storage of 28 kg of hydrogen at 350 bars, which allows a range of more than 300 kms per day. The Michelin hydrogen module is built around a 30 kW fuel cell. Michelin’s fuel cell technology can cover a range of applications from 5 to 100 kW. Significant integration work has been carried out to obtain a reduced weight and a very compact volume, in order to facilitate integration in the vehicle.
The new range proposed by SAFRA perfectly meets the needs of the energy transition. On the French market, the Businova range perfectly meets the requirements of article 37 of the Energy Transition Law, but also at the international level, with the revision of the European directive on clean vehicles.