BGSU seeks partner for commercialization effort

Toledo Business Journal, Jan 01, 2005

Technologists at Bowling Green State University's (BGSU) Electric Vehicle Institute (EVI) in the College of Technology have developed an electric drive system that recovers energy from the frequent stops and starts of buses and delivery vehicles to reduce emissions and fossil fuel usage.

The university recently licensed its patented hybrid diesel/electric propulsion system, called Hybrid Booster DriveTM (HBD), to Goshen Coach of Elkhart, Indiana. This marks the first time BGSU has licensed patented and other propriety technology developed for potential commercial use. Goshen, a manufacturer of mid-sized commercial buses and a subsidiary of the VSV Group in Cleveland, will test the diesel/electric hybrid system on its EURO Shuttle to determine commercial viability. Goshen would then use the HBD system in transit buses that are about 30 feet long and hold about 27 passengers, which would be offered for sale throughout the US and Canada.

"When we showed this bus to Goshen in a ride-and-drive this summer, they were very excited," explained Barry D. Piersol, EVI director. "They're ready to introduce a hybrid vehicle into their product line."

To make this venture successful, BGSU and Goshen are looking for an "up-fitter" or third party company (original equipment supplier) that would take the responsibility to manufacture, install, service, and warranty the HBD for Goshen. Goshen wants to offer hybrid-equipped buses; BGSU EVI is a research and development group.

"It is our mission to develop and promote advanced electrical propulsion technology and transfer this technology to appropriate corporations and public agencies for production and implementation," stated Anthony Palumbo, EVI's chief of operations. "This is a way for a company to begin its business plan with over a million dollars of granted research completed. Ibis would be an ideal opportunity to incubate an alliance company that is owned by its part suppliers. What we really need is a smart business person with the ability to organize and manage a technical and business organization."

Ideally the HBD components would be manufactured and installed in northwest Ohio. To encourage local business development and job creation, BGSU has offered to forego 25 percent of its licensing participation fee if the HBD system is manufactured and installed in Bowling Green. The company home office could be based anywhere and still receive the discount as long as a manufacturing facility is established in Bowling Green for this venture.

"We think that the third party company would want to be near BGSU anyway, because we're going be an active part of the whole project. We have to train them, and would continue to provide contracted research on their behalf," explained Piersol.

A number of northwest Ohio businesses have already been involved with BGSU's development of the HBD system, including Abbott Tool, Inc.; Applied Industrial Technologies; Automated Handling; The H. Poll Electric Co.; Huss Equipment; Keoster Metals Incorporated; Motion Industries, Inc.; Triad Technologies; and Weber Transmission Company. These companies could be contracted by the third party to supply parts and sub components to the assembly operation, according to EVI.

During the first stage of BGSU's agreement with Goshen, the two organizations are conducting an economic viability model for commercializing the HBD system.

In the second stage, beginning March 1, Goshen will manufacture five prototype, HBD-equipped shuttles. The Office of Technology at the Federal Transit Administration and US Department of Transportation have already approved the sale of the first five prototype buses.

For final approval, the vehicles will be evaluated by The Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center (BSTC) in Altoona, Pennsylvania. BSTC is responsible for the operation of the Federal Transit Administration's new model bus testing program.

"It would be ideal if the third party company would be in place and assist in the prototype build. That way most of the supply and assembly details can be worked out prior to beginning production in the next stage,"

stated Palumbo.

Once all of the testing data and marketing research is assessed to determine the project's continued viability, the project will go into the third stage production and commercialization.

Since Goshen's license is exclusive to its mid-sized transit bus to be sold in the US and Canada, BGSU is free to license its HBD system to other parties for other sizes of buses and other applications, For example, the third party partner could manufacture the system in Bowling Green and arrange for installation and use in South America, Europe, and Asia.

"The potential with this technology is infinite," stated Piersol. He explained that besides the mid-size bus, potential applications for the HBD include larger or smaller buses, delivery trucks, garbage trucks, and military vehicles.

"One of the problems the military has is fuel in the battlefield; it costs a lot of money to move fuel. They're looking to have a hybrid-type vehicle that's more fuel-efficient and also has the ability to generate electricity," Piersol explained. "Everything the military drives, they want to be able to generate electricity from. They don't want to pull a generator; they want the vehicle to be the power source. That's another market we could gear ourselves towards, because we have quite a bit of experience in auxiliary power supplies as well as hybrid systems."