ABB fast charging technology to be implemented by UK bus company

Electric charging technology specialist ABB has won a contract to supply three HVC 300P electric bus charging stations for a fleet of Volvo electric buses that will be operated in Harrogate, UK by Transdev Blazefield from 2018. ABB will also supply an electricity substation for installation at a bus station serving the town. The project will use OppCharge for ‘opportunity charging’, where buses are charged while they wait at bus stops at the end of the line equipped with fast-charging infrastructure. The bu
April 25, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
Electric charging technology specialist 4540 ABB has won a contract to supply three HVC 300P electric bus charging stations for a fleet of 609 Volvo electric buses that will be operated in Harrogate, UK by 8574 Transdev Blazefield from 2018. ABB will also supply an electricity substation for installation at a bus station serving the town.


The project will use OppCharge for ‘opportunity charging’, where buses are charged while they wait at bus stops at the end of the line equipped with fast-charging infrastructure. The buses will connect automatically to ABB’s HVC 300P chargers, which feature an overhead charging mast that charges via the buses’ on-board pantographs. An advantage is that the HVC 300P units are compatible with the OppCharge interface, so will be compatible with other brands and models of electric buses that use opportunity charging.

Charging will take only three to six minutes, eliminating the need to wait for long charging periods. The technology is the latest that Transdev Blazefield has introduced to reduce emissions and improve other aspects of bus travel. As well as enabling zero emission public transport, opportunity charging allows the size of batteries on board the electric buses to be reduced, reducing the overall weight of the buses and improving the energy efficiency of the bus network.

Related Content

  • ABB installs 15 fast chargers for electric vehicles, Iceland
    November 8, 2017
    ON Power, a part of Reykjavik Energy, has signed a contract with ABB for the delivery and installation of 15 Terra multi-standard DC chargers type 53 CJG at various points along Iceland’s main highway. It is part of a plan to expand an e-mobility strategy by increasing the availability of charging stations along central locations of the country’s national highway. The fast chargers can charge an electric vehicle (EV) between 15-30 minutes. It features touch screen displays and graphic visualization
    Read More
  • Authorities switch on to all electric buses as costs tumble
    January 9, 2018
    Alan Dron looks at changes in bus propulsion as cities look to improve air quality and seek to reduce maintenance costs. Despite the ending of various incentives to adopt alternative fuels, the introduction of electric buses by US transit authorities is picking up speed as performance improves, costs drop and air quality considerations become increasingly significant. More US bus manufacturers are introducing zero-emission models and some recent contracts will see many more passengers getting their first
    Read More
  • AlphaStruxure to provide e-bus microgrid
    May 24, 2021
    Energy as a Service project aims to cut emissions in Montgomery County, Maryland
    Read More
  • Network of EV fast chargers for Belgium
    June 29, 2012
    VitaeMobility, specialists in e-mobility for business and government fleets and consumers, and ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, have announced a partnership to install and manage 50 Terra Smart Connect DC fast chargers at multiple locations throughout Belgium. ABB’s Terra Smart was specifically chosen because it is claimed to be the only smart connected charging station on the market that supports EV charging for company fleets in 30-120 minutes. The first installations for the nationwi
    Read More

Highlighted Content