At Busworld Europe 2025, BorgWarner highlighted its latest innovations in electric propulsion, thermal management, and battery solutions for buses and commercial vehicles. Visitors to the booth witnessed the company’s holistic approach, spanning high-voltage eFans, cabin and battery heating solutions, advanced battery modules, and fully integrated drive systems.
High-Voltage eFans & Thermal Management Solutions
BorgWarner’s booth prominently featured its latest high-voltage electric fans, developed to meet the thermal requirements of buses and heavy-duty trucks. One smaller eFan, designed for bus applications, delivers between 3 to 5 kilowatts, integrating air-cooled power electronics into the rear of the unit. For heavier-duty applications, a scalable eFan with 10 to 20 kilowatts of power was on display, offering flexible deployment across 12.5 to 18.5-meter buses and trucks.
In addition to cooling solutions, BorgWarner showcased high-voltage air and coolant heaters designed for cabin and battery thermal management. These systems rapidly raise cabin temperature while supporting battery efficiency. Many of these solutions are already deployed in passenger vehicles, with adaptations underway for commercial vehicles, including 24-volt variants and enhanced robustness for bus applications.
The company also demonstrated inter-cell e-coolers for cylindrical battery cells, employing a “snake form” design to maintain optimal temperatures for high-performance energy storage. These modules are particularly suited to battery packs using both cylindrical cells or prismatic cells, ensuring efficiency and longevity.
Advanced Battery Modules: NMC and LFP Families
BorgWarner’s battery solutions were a focal point of the showcase. Dr. Martin Busche, heading R&D, product strategy and business development for battery systems, explained that the company’s NMC (nickel manganese cobalt) cylindrical 21700-cell-based battery packs have been in production since 2021. Each pack holds up to 9 modules (9 AKM) which integrates 600 cells with liquid cooling, cell-level fusing, voltage monitoring, and intelligent thermal management.
“We have deployed almost six gigawatt-hours of NMC battery capacity, equivalent to 60,000 packs annually across Europe and the US,” he noted. High energy density, multiple layers of safety, and a warranty extending beyond 10 years make these modules competitive against other global offerings.
BorgWarner is also industrializing its Generation 3.3 NMC modules, featuring 5% higher energy density, updated hardware and software, and compliance with functional safety (FUSA up to ASIL Level C), cyber security, EU battery regulations, and ASPICE Level 1 standards. The company emphasizes modularity and flexibility, with packs ranging from 5 to 9 AKM for buses of different sizes and applications, including first-generation autonomous vehicles.
Parallel to NMC systems, BorgWarner introduced its LFP blade-based battery family, designed for fully electric, “born electric” bus designs. These include flat packs, compact packs, and high packs, offering capacities from 50 to 100 kilowatt-hours and voltages up to 666 volts in 1S or 2S (2 packs in serial). Flexible combinations of these packs allow OEMs to optimize installations for underfloor, rooftop, or engine-compartment placements. The flat and compact packs can even be connected in series to achieve 1,000 volts in 3S configuration for megawatt charging, supporting rapid charging requirements.
All battery modules feature BorgWarner’s proprietary software, developed in-house, which allows automatic updates, cloud testing, and potential OTA (over-the-air) updates. The company emphasizes standardization and modularization, with software drops every two weeks and periodic releases, ensuring fit-for-future products and continuous improvements without disrupting operations.
Integrated Drive Modules and Propulsion Systems
BorgWarner also showcased its integrated drive modules, combining high-efficiency motors with inverters in a compact housing. These systems are produced in Portugal and are currently deployed with European bus manufacturers. Peak power ratings reach 425 kW, with integrated solutions available under the Cascadia Motion brand for niche and low-volume applications.
The drive modules are compatible with both high- and medium-voltage systems, allowing OEMs to deploy them across different bus sizes and configurations. BorgWarner’s solution architect emphasized the modularity and scalability of these products, ensuring compatibility across multiple platforms and vehicle types.
Serviceability and Customer-Centric Design
A key feature of BorgWarner’s battery solutions is serviceability. The Removable Contactor Box (RCB) allows technicians to replace electronics quickly and safely without high-voltage training or extensive testing. This approach has been extended to the LFP family, highlighting the company’s commitment to practical, field-friendly solutions for OEMs and fleet operators.
BorgWarner’s presence at Busworld 2025 underscored its leadership in electric mobility, thermal management, and battery integration for buses and commercial vehicles. By offering scalable, modular, and highly efficient solutions, the company provides OEMs with flexible options to optimize energy storage, propulsion, and passenger comfort.
From high-voltage eFans and heaters to advanced NMC and LFP battery modules, and integrated drive systems, BorgWarner is positioning itself as a technology leader capable of delivering safety, efficiency, and serviceability at competitive costs, ready to meet the evolving demands of global electric bus markets.
