FPT’s Battery Pack Dives into Marine Market

The eBS 37 EVO battery pack is FPT Industrial’s first entry of its ePowertrain portfolio into the marine applications segment.

March 7, 2025

Ryan Gehm

The 37-kWh battery pack that FPT Industrial developed for light commercial vehicles and minibuses is now entering marine applications. (FPT Industrial)

FPT Industrial formed its ePowertrain department in 2018 and since has developed a range of electric drivelines, battery packs and battery management systems (BMS) targeting on-road commercial vehicle markets. Now the company is taking its ePowertrain portfolio to the water, announcing the entry of its eBS 37 EVO battery pack to the marine sector.

The eBM 5 battery management system is the result of FPT’s acquisition of and partnership with Potenza Technology. (FPT Industrial)

The new 37-kWh battery pack that FPT Industrial initially developed for light commercial vehicles and minibuses incorporates NMC 811 lithium-ion technology in 96s2p cell configuration for effective energy density (>140 Wh/kg) and depth-of-discharge (95%). The company claims the design results in reduced battery weight, at 260 kg (573 lb).

The modular eBS 37 EVO can be arranged in up to four packs in parallel or up to two packs in series. Nominal voltage is 355 V, or 666 V in case of a multipack. The battery pack can be installed to power both full-electric and hybrid applications.

AS Labruna, an official distributor for FPT Industrial, has installed the eBS 37 EVO in its HEVOlution 80-37 variable-speed hybrid generator/range extender launched in November 2024. The model delivers 80 kW of continuous power. The battery reportedly can be recharged from 20% to 80% in 17 minutes using the generator, or in about an hour using renewable sources such as solar panels or wind generators. The unit also includes an FNM 13HPE common-rail marine engine that can run on HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) and an electric generator from Bosch Engineering.

The eBM 5 is built around a subpack battery management system (SBMS) board that provides all necessary core functions, covering both safety and application. (Potenza)

HEVOlution generators can operate in serial hybrid mode for propulsion, power on-board services, or perform both tasks simultaneously. “We have worked with dedication to create a product line that meets the current market needs, focusing on reducing emissions and improving performance,” said Massimo Labruna, CEO of AS Labruna. “We aim to promote the electrification of nautical systems, making autonomy a key strength of this type of propulsion.”

“Thanks to our many years of experience in the on-road sector, one of our ePowertrain products is now being introduced into the marine sector,” said Andrea Cugnini, vice president for the FPT Industrial ePowertrain business line. “This is a very important step that clearly demonstrates how the value of our products can be applied across multiple segments. We are confident that this step will help address the crucial challenges of the sector, where the demand for zero-emission systems will continue to grow in the years to come.”

Battery management innovation

The eBS 37 EVO battery pack can be installed to power both full-electric and hybrid-electric applications. (FPT Industrial)

The eBS 37 EVO battery pack reportedly presents some “substantial innovations” compared to the previous version: most notably, the eBM 5 battery management system developed and produced by FPT Industrial. In addition, a new internal design allows the battery to meet the highest safety standards, ECE R100.3 and ECE R10.6.

The BMS is the result of FPT’s acquisition of and partnership with Potenza Technology, a British company with expertise in functional safety engineering, battery management systems for traction accumulators, and the design and development of electrical and electronic systems. The BMS is said to be highly flexible for different energy storage solutions, allowing for reduced development times and customized software solutions that achieve ASIL C integrity level.

The subpack battery management system (SBMS) is the control unit built on single processor architecture. FPT states that cell monitor circuits (CMC) are placed close to the battery, resulting in short sensor wire length and increased accuracy. Each CMC provides 36 channels of cell voltage measurements and 12 channels of temperature measurement. Up to five CMC-36 units can be used in a system, according to Potenza.

AS Labruna installed the eBS 37 EVO in its new HEVOlution 80-37 variable-speed hybrid generator/range extender. (AS Labruna)

The company says that communication between the CMC and SBMS is by a daisy-chained 2 wire ISO-SPI channel, with isolation rated up to 800 V. The CMC provides passive cell balancing with up to 116 mA current capability, controlled via the SBMS software. Up to eight SBMS can be used in a single system to manage multipack applications.

“The SBMS uses a smart-chaining concept, meaning that no additional hardware or gateway is required to provide an interface to the vehicle controller. A single interface to the first pack SBMS manages all of the internal communications with the other packs,” Potenza explains.

The in-house BMS enables the eBS 37 EVO to offer increased battery life according to mission requirements. The company claims greater than 2,500 life cycles.

FPT Industrial opened a dedicated ePowertrain Plant in Turin, Italy, in October 2022. Main development hubs are based in the R&D centers in Arbon, Switzerland and Coventry, UK, in addition to Turin.