SEA CHANGE – ZERO EMISSION DRIVELINE SPECIALIST UNVEILS HYDROGEN FUEL CELL EXTENDER IN CALIFORNIA

Electric vehicle driveline start up Sea Electric has announced it will be launching its new SEA-Drive 250 power-system, with an optional hydrogen range extender at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo  in Anaheim, California this week.

Sea Electric says the new driveline will be ideal for heavier duty-cycles  with a GVM up to (36 tonnes for the US  Class 8 rigid or day-cab market.

The company says  intention to pair the power-system with a 45kW hydrogen fuel cell range extender is a major change with the architecture set to have ‘far-reaching implications in the sector’.

Sea Electric says the Drive 250 will feature maximum power of 670hp (500kW) and peak torque of 4,579 lb-ft (6,200Nm), using a 250kWh battery pack.

“The SEA-Drive 250 RE represents a major breakthrough for SEA Electric in our efforts to electrify the world’s commercial transport fleet,” said Tony Fairweather, SEA Electric founder and CEO.

“The power-system is perfectly suited to the rigors of lighter duty refuse collection, with the platform already proven in other deployments in the space via pure-battery powered configurations.

“For SEA Electric, this new product combination offers us the opportunity to branch out into some fantastic new areas and applications, which can now benefit from our leadership in the industry, such as day-cab and drayage tractor applications.

“In regards to the refuse industry, the SEA-Drive 250 RE will allow us to provide a solution for 95 per cent of the market via any chassis combination.

“The combination of battery electric with the optional fuel cell extender will optimize weight and cost, whilst delivering the full fleet duty-cycle requirements, with performance that has never been seen before in this segment.

“One of the competitive advantages of the SEA-Drive power-system is that all ancillary functions are completely electrified, with all hydraulics systems involved in the compacting and operation of the refuse body completely managed by the integrated systems.

“What this means is that noisy refuse trucks will be a thing of the past, which is sure to be welcomed by anyone living in an urban environment.”

The ACT Expo runs from May 1-4 at the Anaheim Convention Centre, while further information on SEA Electric, and the SEA-Drive® power-system is available at www.sea-electric.com.