Berlin introduces wirelessly-charged electric bus Line

Berlin has become the first capital city to introduce a wirelessly charged electric bus, as part of a project funded by Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure. The Berlin Transport Authority, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) has introduced four Solaris Urbino 12 electric buses equipped with the Bombardier Primove inductive charging system and traction equipment from Vossloh Kiepe. The buses now operate on the 6.1 kilometre line 204 between Südkreuz and Zoologischer Garten (Hertzallee). Vos
September 4, 2015 Read time: 2 mins

Berlin has become the first capital city to introduce a wirelessly charged electric bus, as part of a project funded by Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure.
The Berlin Transport Authority, Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (7580 BVG) has introduced four Solaris Urbino 12 electric buses equipped with the Bombardier Primove inductive charging system and traction equipment from Vossloh Kiepe.

The buses now operate on the 6.1 kilometre line 204 between Südkreuz and Zoologischer Garten (Hertzallee). Vossloh Kiepe’s electric drive ensures the vehicles are not only emission-free, but also produce low vibration and noise, benefitting both passengers and the environment.

Each bus will be charged wirelessly and contactlessly via 513 Bombardier’s inductive Primove technology which enables the buses to recharge in just a few minutes.

Bombardier claims that the Primove battery system, with a total capacity of 90 kilowatt hours, offers sufficient energy reserves to handle even Berlin’s most demanding routes. In addition, the wireless charging system is well shielded so that the electromagnetic radiation is lower than that of a conventional induction cooker. To fully charge the batteries overnight and air condition the passenger compartment before starting operation, four stationary and one mobile charging station were also installed by Vossloh Kiepe at the BVG depot. There the buses are supplied with power via charging cables.

Like all BVG’s electric powered vehicles, the new Solaris Urbino 12 electric buses are powered exclusively with green electricity. BVG says that within one year, the four electric buses on the line 204 will travel a total of approximately 200,000 kilometres, saving 260 tons of CO2 emissions.

Networking & Communication Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Green Automotive plots new course into US electric vehicle market
    June 6, 2012
    Green Automotive Company, a US public company involved in the conversion, import and distribution of eco-friendly vehicles, has entered into detailed discussions with Liberty Electric Cars, a UK-based developer of electric drive trains, battery management systems and provider of full support programmes for all types of electric vehicles. These discussions will lead to Liberty technology being used to convert conventional internal combustion engine driven vehicles into zero emission electric vehicles.
    Read More
  • Fast moving walkways could move 7,000 people per hour
    November 28, 2016
    Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) researchers have been studying futuristic transport solutions for car-free urban centres and have come up with an optimal design for a network of accelerating moving walkways. This is not a new concept – the first moving walkways were seen in Chicago in 1893 and seven years later they were used at the world’s fair in Paris. They are also regularly used the world over in airports and transport terminals. As part of the PostCarW
    Read More
  • Nissan taxi of tomorrow makes world debut in New York
    April 4, 2012
    The first full vehicle prototype of the Taxi of Tomorrow, the 2014 Nissan NV200, is being featured at the 2012 New York International Auto Show which is open to the public from 6-16 April. After a rigorous, two-year competitive bid selection process, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) selected the Nissan NV200 Taxi in May 2011 as the exclusive taxi of New York City, beginning in late 2013. The Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, the Design Trust for Public Space and Smart Design also ha
    Read More
  • London’s strategy to tackle air quality problems
    October 21, 2014
    Colin Sowman talks to Matthew Pencharz, the man charged with charting London’s path between catering for traveller needs, conserving ancient buildings and conforming to modern air quality standards.
    Read More

Highlighted Content