BAE Systems Unveils Lithium-Ion Battery for Hybrid Electric Buses

JOHNSON CITY, N.Y.--BAE Systems will begin offering an advanced lithium-ion energy storage unit with its next-generation HybriDrive^® propulsion system for hybrid electric buses.

BAE Systems’ new lithium-ion energy storage system is lighter than energy storage systems currently in production. Reducing vehicle weight improves fuel economy and reduces emissions. The new energy storage system also is more efficient and lasts longer than the leading alternatives in use today.

In addition to being lighter than competing alternatives, the lithium-ion energy storage system is fault-tolerant — designed to keep operating even if individual battery cells fail. The system also is self-monitoring and easy to service for reduced maintenance costs.

“By introducing lithium-ion technology to the transit industry, BAE Systems is continuing its nearly decade-long commitment to providing clean and efficient hybrid propulsion,” said Hank McGlynn, vice president of Vehicle Systems for BAE Systems in Johnson City, New York. “Our lithium-ion energy storage system offers better value through longer life, improved performance, and reduced maintenance. It sets a new industry benchmark.”

BAE Systems’ HybriDrive system is currently in service in major cities across North America, logging 65,000 miles a day.

The new battery features Nanophosphate™ lithium-ion chemistry developed by A123Systems of Watertown, Massachusetts, one of the world’s largest suppliers of high-power lithium-ion batteries.

BAE Systems’ HybriDrive propulsion system is available on the DaimlerChrysler Orion VII hybrid transit bus. The system is in use in three of the four largest hybrid bus fleets in the world today. The next-generation HybriDrive system featuring lithium-ion energy storage will be available for commercial buses beginning in 2008.

About BAE Systems

BAE Systems is a global defense and aerospace company, delivering a full range of products and services for air, land, and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions, and customer support services. BAE Systems, with 88,000 employees worldwide, had 2006 sales that exceeded $25 billion.