Japan’s battery manufacturer GS Yuasa’s lithium-ion battery system has been fitted in Nippon Sharyo’s electric-powered carrier NeGEM.
GS Yuasa and Nippon Sharyo have jointly carried out battery pack test runs for the integration in the heavy load vehicle. The battery system for industrial use has a capacity of 47.5Ah. According to GS Yuasa, compared to previous batteries, the energy density per unit volume is more than 50% higher, and the energy density per unit weight is more than 30% higher.
The system continuously monitors the voltage of all the cells as well as the module temperature and has a function for sending the information to the charger and the system.
20 battery units are connected in series in the electric carrier and two units are connected in parallel. The NeGEM uses the battery as main power source, but in case of long cruising ranges, operation is possible while recharging with a small engine driven generator.
GS Yuasa said in a statement that the company will work towards developing automotive batteries in response to the growing demand for electric vehicles including hybrid cars and plug-in hybrid cars while working to increase applications in industrial fields.