Go Ahead to use Grand Prix technology in bus flywheel trial

Go-Ahead Group and Williams Hybrid Power (WHP), a subsidiary of Williams Grand Prix Engineering, have signed an agreement to develop a flywheel energy storage application for use in buses.

Go-Ahead and Williams Hybrid Power have agreed to work together to develop and produce six prototype buses with a retrofitted hybrid flywheel system, providing electro mechanical energy to drive the bus and deliver substantial improvements to fuel economy and reductions in CO2 emissions.

Williams Hybrid Power has been at the forefront of hybrid flywheel systems within motor racing, originally developing it for the Williams Formula One car and providing systems to Porsche for the 911 GT3 Hybrid and recently Audi for the R18 e-tron Quattro that will compete at this year’s Le Mans 24 hour race. The company is now making the technology available to applications such as hybrid buses, hybrid passenger vehicles, electric trains, rapid transit systems and smart grid infrastructure to meet their high power energy storage needs, save fuel and reduce emissions.

Phil Margrave, Go-Ahead’s Group Engineering Director, commented, ‘In the on-going quest to significantly reduce the CO2 emissions of the Go-Ahead Group we are very excited to be working with Williams Hybrid Power, a British technology company at the cutting edge of alternative energy solutions. We are convinced that the experience and expertise they have gained from developing and using the flywheel technology in motorsport will migrate to the bus market and deliver a ground breaking solution to the issue of fuel efficiency.’’

Speaking about the announcement Ian Foley, Managing Director of Williams Hybrid Power, added, ‘’I am delighted that we have signed this agreement with a forward thinking company like Go-Ahead. From the very beginning we identified public transport as an ideal customer for our flywheel technology and I am excited about meeting the challenge of delivering this innovative solution for the bus industry.’’