Electric bus platform for urban mobility

Abstract

Today, the technology of automatic battery charging based on Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) for the electric mass transit industry involving electric trains, buses and trams, is being used more and more. The modern solution described in this paper proposes an innovative technology for mixed charging of electric buses, either by wireless charging for 2-3 minutes in selected stations, or by plug-in charging at the end of the bus line, which results in only minimal energy storage on board - practically enough to get to the next charging station. The reduction of the weight of the battery packs determines the increase of the number of passengers transported, but also a reduction of the purchase price of the bus, without reducing the performances. The conversion can cost about half the price of new electric buses, depending on the condition of the vehicle and the extent of the work. This solution can be applied especially for the conversion of Diesel buses into electric buses which is not only sustainable, but also significantly better in terms of investment and operational costs, comparing with the purchase of new electric buses.