Forsee Power’s ZEN 55 LFP RAIL battery to equip KONCAR trains in Croatia

KONČAR Electric Vehicles has selected Forsee Power’s ZEN 55 LFP RAIL battery systems for its new generation of battery multiple units (BMU) and battery-electric multiple units (BEMU). The Croatian manufacturer, part of the KONČAR Group, has placed an initial order to equip eight trains for operation in Croatia. KONČAR has already developed and deployed battery and battery-electric multiple units in Europe.

The two- or three-car sets are designed to run on non-electrified lines, drawing on the onboard ZEN 55 LFP RAIL packs for propulsion, auxiliary power and regenerative braking. Each set carries 200 to 300 passengers. On a battery-electric multiple unit, the pack charges from the overhead line where one exists and powers the train where it doesn’t, so a single set can serve both electrified main lines and non-electrified branches without switching to diesel power. Regenerative braking recovers energy at each stop.

Paired with a Forsee Power battery management system, the packs are designed to work with existing railway infrastructure, including tracks and signaling systems, 25 kV catenary, in-motion charging and KONCHARGE charging stations. The ZEN 55 LFP RAIL is a modular system built around 55 kWh modules, which can be combined into configurations ranging from several kWh to multi-megawatt-hour storage for both hybrid and fully electric trains. It supports voltage architectures up to 1,500 V for integration with existing rolling stock powertrains, and the LFP system is rated for up to 7,000 cycles. LFP chemistry trades some energy density for long cycle life and stable thermal behavior, which suits the repeated daily charging of regional duty.

The company says the ZEN 55 LFP RAIL meets EN 50126 SIL2 along with rail and battery standards including IEC 62928, IEC 62619, IEC 62620, IEC 61373 and EN 45545.

Source: Forsee Power