With increasing air pollution levels and stronger public commitment to clean transportation, electric city buses offer an ideal opportunity to improve life in cities, while also reducing operational costs. ABB’s automated fast charging system solves the key problems for large-scale adoption of zero-emission electric buses: long charging times and short driving range belong to the past.
ABB automated fast charging system which allows electric city buses to drive 24/7, thus enabling true zero-emission public transport in cities.
With its automated rooftop connection and a typical charge time of 4–6 minutes, the system can easily be integrated into existing bus lines by installing chargers at endpoints, terminals or intermediate stops. The modular design provides a power of 150 kW, 300 kW or 450 kW in just a few minutes, giving the city bus enough energy to continuously cross the defined route during the day.
Practical solution is based on international standards
ABB’s automatic charging system is based on IEC 61851- 23, the international standard for fast charging electric vehicles. This means that it is designed in accordance with electrical engineering regulations and ensures adequate safety systems at the site, and the systems architecture and working principle are supported by the wider automotive community. The robust automated connection is based on a pantograph: a proven system used commonly on trains, trams and, metros, but mounted in inverted position on a stylish infrastructure pole. When a bus arrives at the charging stop, wireless communication will be established between bus and charger and the pantograph will come down automatically. After all safety checks are performed the system will provide the bus with a powerful fast recharge.
ABB automated fast charging system
which allows electric city buses to drive 24/7,
thus enabling true zero-emission
public transport in cities
Simple cost effective interface works with any electric bus
ABB’s automated solution can be used with any electric bus provided it has the correct rooftop interface. The inverted pantograph connection makes it possible to use a low-cost and low weight interface on the roof of the bus, consisting of 4 simple contact bars with a weight of around 10 kg. This allows manufacturers of electric buses to reduce the weight of their vehicle, improve the energy efficiency and design a lower cost electric bus. The attractiveness of ABB’s charging solution is confirmed by manufacturers of electric buses. In July 2014 ABB announced that it signed a global cooperation with Volvo bus to jointly market fast chargers and buses.
Connectivity and remote management
High uptime and fast service response are key for charging electric buses at high-frequency bus lines. The automated fast charger will be offered together with ABB’s proven suite connectivity features including remote diagnostics, remote management, and over-the-air software upgradeability. With over 3000 web-connected DC fast chargers installed globally, ABB has proven that its suite of connectivity features enable industry-leading uptimes, and fast service response, anywhere in the world.
ABB will supply 101 electric buses in Belgium using an “OppCharge” protocol
ABB has received an order for 12 more charging systems from Volvo Buses, which will together constitute the largest single fleet of electric buses and charging systems in Europe. The project includes the installation of a total of 15 ABB chargers by 2018 in the city of Charleroi in Belgium, for charging 101 Volvo electric-hybrid buses in the Valona public transport system within the TEC Group. It is a turnkey contract and includes complete equipment: chargers, transformer stations, electrical installations, other equipment, assembly works, and the service contract.
In January, ABB promoted the first two “OppCharge” chargers for 7 electric-hybrid buses in the zero-emission zone in the city of Namir. The chargers will charge vehicles with a power of 150 kW in 3-6 minutes at the terminals.
ABB enables networking, remote monitoring, software upgrades, diagnostics, and management, which directly enables fast service and system reliability. With more than 5,000 installed chargers worldwide connected via the Internet, ABB solutions provide the shortest response and reaction time.
The quiet and clean Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid buses are designed for zero-emission areas and silent or safety zones and can run about seven kilometres in quiet, emission-free operation. The batteries are recharged in 3-6 minutes at the route’s end stations. Energy consumption is 60% lower than a corresponding diesel bus. Volvo electric-hybrid buses are in operation in Gothenburg, Stockholm, Hamburg, Luxemburg, and Namir.
For more information contact ABB Serbia:
ABB Ltd.
13 Bulevar Peka Dapčevića Str., 11000 Belgrade, Serbia Tel: +381(0)11 3094 300, 3954 866 predrag.vucinic@rs.abb.com
www.abb.rs
www.abb.com/evcharging
This content was originally published in the eighth issue of the Energy Portal Magazine ECOHEALTH, in November 2017.
