Freudenberg Joins New Partnership to Support Emission-Free Mobility in the U.S

“We are excited to play an important role in getting this MCI test vehicle on the road and running – quietly, cleanly and reliably,” said Jeff Michalski, president XALT Energy. “XALT and its majority owner, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, are committed to helping commercial vehicle manufacturers transition to new, clean electric energy sources with high-quality, single-source, in-house battery systems that meet all Buy America federal requirements.”

“We are prepared to deliver a 100 percent battery electric coach that performs the same or better than our current clean diesel, hybrid and CNG models,” said Ian Smart, MCI president. XALT’s ultra-high energy lithium-ion cell platform is crucial to this success. The XALT system is ideal for long-distance commuting needs. It ran between San Francisco and Sacramento, Calif., in late October in a maiden road trip.

FlixBus, Europe’s largest operator of long-distance bus travel, will test the bus through its FlixBus USA operations. FlixBus is expanding its innovative city-to-city long-distance service model in the U.S. After successful testing, FlixBus plans to order more all-electric MCI buses in the U.S. in 2020, according to a recent news announcement, with a goal of being 100 percent carbon-neutral by 2030.

MCI will send its D45 CRTe LE CHARGE to Altoona, Pa., for federal testing, as is required for all new bus models that are purchased using federal funds.

Unique combination of lithium-ion battery and fuel cell expertise

In yet another nod to developing sustainable powertrain solutions for the world’s commercial transportation systems, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies and FlixBus in Europe announced in October their intention to collaborate on a future project that will promote development of fuel-cell powered long-distance buses. Freudenberg’s extensive experience in fuel cell technology was strengthened in 2018 with the purchase of a Munich-based fuel cell manufacturer. Going forward, this unique combination of lithium-ion battery and fuel cell expertise positions Freudenberg Sealing Technologies to take a lead role in developing electric battery, fuel cell and hybrid system solutions that meet the needs of heavy duty and commercial vehicle customers.

“As Freudenberg continues to invest in lithium-ion battery and fuel cell developments, we will pursue hybrid technology that addresses important issues like power, base load and unique operating cycles in a range of heavy-duty applications that include truck, bus, commercial marine and rail transportation,“ said Claus Moehlenkamp, CEO of Freudenberg Sealing Technologies. “We are focused on the future, and that future is going to demand sustainable transportation solutions that eliminate production of CO₂ emissions. We are ready to partner with other global transportation customers to further leverage our expertise and knowledge on their behalf.”