Voith Turbo will begin production of its patented DIWAhybrid-drive system for transit buses this month.

Over the last 18 months, Voith Turbo has fine-tuned and tested DIWAhybrid to better understand how the innovative drive system can best be utilized in municipal transit routes in North America. In recent multi-day real test runs, the DIWAhybrid drive system gained an average of 16 percent efficiency, the company reported.

Benefits of the DIWAhybrid system include:

• Use of an ultra capacitor, as opposed to a traditional battery, which will require less lifetime maintenance over its competitors. A typical battery will only last six years, whereas an ultra capacitor can last beyond 12 years, making the ultra capacitor better for both the bottom line and the environment.

• Design based on proven Voith Turbo drive systems.

• Provides optimum capacity for buses making between 2 and 5 stops per mile, averaging between 15 and 25 mph.

• 150 kW electric motor power.

• Energy storage capacity of 600 volts.

• Optimized initial invest.

Voith Turbo will use Maxwell Technologies' Ultra capacitors in the production of DIWAhybrid, expanding on its partnership with an American company. Maxwell Technologies is supplying capacitors for Voith's Hybrid Power-Train Development Center, which is based near San Diego. The Hybrid Power-Train Development Center will build and expand on Voith Turbo's hybrid bus technologies

Voith Turbo, the specialist for hydrodynamic drive, coupling and braking systems for road, rail and industrial applications, as well as for ship propulsion systems, is a Group Division of Voith GmbH.