Ultracapacitors power multimedia and passenger comfort systems in London cable cars

Ultracapacitors power multimedia and passenger comfort systems in London cable cars

Light weight, rapid charging and long operating life enable high tech features

San Diego, CA – Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced today that it is supplying ultracapacitors for a high-efficiency energy management system that powers multimedia entertainment, lighting and air ventilation systems in the Emirates Air Line, the UK’s first urban cable car, carrying passengers across London’s River Thames.

The new Emirates Air Line cable car system, operated by Transport for London, consists of 34 10-passenger cabins manufactured by CWA Constructions SA of Switzerland. The Emirates Air Line can carry up to 2,500 passengers per hour in each direction. It transported an estimated 20,000 passengers a day during the London 2012 Games for the trip connecting North and South London from terminals located at the Greenwich Peninsula and Royal Docks.

The roof-mounted ultracapacitor modules are recharged by charging systems located in stations at each end of the Emirates Air Line. Unlike batteries, which produce and store electrical energy by means of a chemical reaction, Maxwell’s ultracapacitors store energy in an electrical field within the ultracapacitor cells. This electrostatic energy storage mechanism enables ultracapacitors to charge and discharge in as little as fractions of a second, perform normally over a broad temperature range (-40º C to +65º C) and operate reliably for up to one million or more charge/discharge cycles.

“A battery-based system to power all of the entertainment and passenger comfort features the operator wanted for these cabins would have been much too heavy to be practical,” said Tobias Haarmann, CWA’s Head of Marketing. “Ultracapacitors also require little or no maintenance and can be expected to last for a decade or more before needing to be replaced, making them a very cost-effective solution for the operator.”

“This is yet another example of how innovative companies such as CWA are finding new ways to take advantage of ultracapacitors’ efficiency, durability, light weight and other differentiating characteristics,” said David Schramm, Maxwell’s president and chief executive officer.

About CWA: CWA Constructions SA/Corp. is the worldwide leader in the design, engineering and manufacturing of vehicles for people mover systems, such as gondola cabins, aerial tramway cars, funicular coaches, shuttles and monorails. CWA Constructions, a traditional Swiss company, provides top services& #8211; everywhere and at all times. With cableway and rail vehicles, as well as special construction in aluminum, we surpass the market standards as the accepted leader of the global industry, through continual further development of state-of-the-art designs, forward-looking construction solutions and comprehensive services.

About Maxwell: Maxwell Technologies is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative, cost-effective energy storage and power delivery solutions. Our ultracapacitor products provide safe and reliable power solutions for applications in consumer and industrial electronics, transportation and information technology. Our high-voltage grading and coupling capacitors help to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport, distribution and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. Our radiation-mitigated microelectronic products include power modules, memory modules and single board computers that incorporate powerful commercial silicon for superior performance and high reliability in aerospace applications. For more information, please visit www.maxwell.com.

■