SUSTAINABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORT

eBuses 100 % Electric (Batteries and Ultracapacitors)

The Public Transport is facing some main challenges for the next coming years that must be considered in the increasing process to change to a more sustainable transport operation in the cities (information shared by ZeEUS reports):

The higher cost of the complete electric buses (eBuses), the eBus itself and their charging infrastructure compared to internal combustion engine buses.

The relevance of identifying sustainable technology solutions, considering its Operation and Maintenance (O&M) for the specific and local context.

The necessity to review current procurement and contractual frameworks; warranty conditions (overall for batteries), but also for spare parts, the conditions of (O&M) of the charging infrastructure and the eBus, and the training for workers in task of maintenance and the safe handling of new high voltage electric vehicles (isolation measurements with direct and indirect methods, occupational risk, etc.).

The requisite to standardise charging infrastructure, for the opportunity charging, the flash by pantograph, and the depot charging by the actual standards with CCS-Combo in type 1 or 2 (CharIn) or the CHAdeMO standard), the communication interfaces of the chargers with the vehicle (CAN Bus, Control Pilot, etc.), to ensure the interoperability of eBuses, allowing multibrands fleets to recharge with multi-brands infrastructure (like there is with Electric Vehicles Charging Infrastructure with the standard IEC 61851 and the protocol OCPP for O&M).

The need to have a trustful cooperation with the electric industry; TSO, DSO, Electricity generators and energy regulators.

I.         Regarding the point one, the next lines are to expose the State of the Art of eBuses and charging infrastructure applied to Public Transport in cities

·  Electric Buses (eBus in its different storage technologies: electric batteries and ultracapacitors)

·      Electric Buses Charging Stations (Wired and Wireless charging)

  

1.     Electric Buses (eBus)

Nowadays it is possible to find several eBuses OEM in USA, China and Europe with storage systems in its different technologies (Electric batteries and Ultra-capacitors (Uc)).

·      Proterra (Battery Storage System // Own Chargers: CCS-Combo Type 1 and Pantograph)

·      New Flyer  (Battery Storage System // Own Chargers: Pantograph by overheat gantry, shop charger or portable)

·      Volvo (Battery Storage System // Chargers: ABB chargers by pantograph at 150, 300 and 450 kW)

·      VDL (Battery Storage System // Own Chargers: CCS-combo and pantograph)

·      Irizar (Battery Storage System // Own Chargers: CCS Combo Type 1 or 2 (125 A – 7 hours) and pantograph)

·      Caetanobus (Battery Storage System // Chargers: AC three-phase (7 hours) and DC at 150 kW (1 hour)

·      Solaris (Battery Storage System // Own Chargers: pantograph)

·      Skoda Electric (Battery Storage System // Own Chargers: low-charging and fast-charging by pantograph)

·      SPOL (Battery Storage System // Own Chargers: low-charging (32 A) and fast-charging (250 A))

·      Vectia Mobility (Battery Storage System // Own Chargers: fast-charging by pantograph)

·  Hybricon Bus System (Battery Storage System // Own Chargers: fast-charging by pantograph)

·      Optare (Battery Storage System // Chargers: fast-charging)

·      BYD (Battery Storage System // Chargers: charging 125 A three-phase)

·      Chariot eBus (Ultracaps (Uc*) Storage System // Own Chargers: Pantograph)

*Uc: not flamable and unlimited number of charging cycles / Less autonomy than electric batteries, necessity to install more chargers (of course depending of the route, number of passengers, average temperature in summer, etc).

·      Vanhool (Battery Storage System)

·      Ebusco (Battery Storage System // Chargers: Fast-charging)

·      Evopro  (Battery Storage System // Chargers: Fast-charging) – (Charging OEM)

·      Rampini (Battery Storage System // Chargers: possibility Fast-charging)

·   Temsa Global (Battery Storage System // Chargers: 130 kWh DC Charger (2 hours) and possibility Standard Fast-charging 50 kW)

·      Ursus Bus (Battery Storage System // Chargers: 30 kW three-phase (5 hours))

·      Linkker (Battery Storage System // Chargers: 43 kW three-phase, 350 kW pantograph)

·      Yutong (Battery Storage System)

·      Hunan (Battery Storage System)

2.     Electric Buses (eBus) Charging Stations

Some of the eBus OEM produce its own charging stations to supply power to the eBuses (in normal conditions; in the parking, depot charging with standard charging infrastructure, and in the opportunity charging; e.g.: flash-charging, normally by pantograph or by Wireless charging).

·      ABB (Flash-charging (following OppCharge*) and standard charging stations)

·      Heliox (Flash-charging (following OppCharge*) and standard charging stations)

·      Siemens (Flash-charging (following OppCharge*) and standard charging stations)

·      Ekoenergetyka (Flash-charging (following OppCharge*) and standard charging stations)

·      Chargepoint (Standard charging stations)

·      Alstom  SRS (wireless eBus charging)

·      Bombardier Primove (wireless eBus charging)

*Oppcharge

·      Common interface between charging station and vehicles, based on the car industry CCS Standard (CharIn).

·      Charging power at 150, 300 and 450 kW.

·      Pantograph attached to the pylon makes it possible to use a cost-effective solution that adds Little weight to the bus roof.

·      Conductive Charging using current collectors, with communication between the bus and charging station vie Wi-Fi.

·      Among the manufacturers supporting OppCharge are charging infrastructure providers ABB, Heliox and Siemens, and bus manufacturers Ebusco, Iveco, Solaris and Volvo.

Points to consider in the election of the eBus and the type and number of points of the charging infrastructure:

·      Regarding the line where it will be to implement the 100 % eBus. It Is very important to consider the distance, the number of persons who take the line, average temperatura, and the autonomy of the eBus.

·      The possibility to acquire a multibrand chargers which works with different eBuses (for future implementation)