Skip to main content

Siemens launches interoperable electric bus charger

Siemens has launched an interoperable charging infrastructure for e-buses which capable of charging buses from different manufacturers. German public transport operator Hamburger Hochbahn is to begin operation of three additional e-buses on its ‘innovation line’ 109. The battery-powered buses built by Polish company Solaris will be charged at the same Siemens charging stations that also power the plug-in hybrid buses from Volvo which have been serving Hamburg since the end of 2014. The three buses fr
August 22, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
189 Siemens has launched an interoperable charging infrastructure for e-buses which capable of charging buses from different manufacturers.

German public transport operator Hamburger Hochbahn is to begin operation of three additional e-buses on its ‘innovation line’ 109. The battery-powered buses built by Polish company Solaris will be charged at the same Siemens charging stations that also power the plug-in hybrid buses from 609 Volvo which have been serving Hamburg since the end of 2014.

The three buses from Solaris are equipped with a Siemens onboard charging system designed for the quick-charge stations. Having both the onboard equipment and charging infrastructure provided by one supplier not only ensures interoperability, but also harmonises the systems based on open international standards. By equipping the buses with Siemens charging equipment, vehicles of every type and from different manufacturers can easily be integrated into one system.

Each of the two charging terminals has a capacity of 300 kW and two charging stations. The stations can provide the buses with enough energy to enable them to operate a full day from terminal to terminal on line 109. The charging operation takes only around six minutes.

The charging process uses open international standards IEC 61851 and ISO 15118 that are the basis for e-bus charging systems. These enable vehicles from different manufacturers to use the same charging system. This solution allows operators to select their e-buses independently of the charging infrastructure and ensures their interoperability.

Related Content

  • February 3, 2012
    Joint standards initiative on ITS
    Leading global standards organisations ITU and ISO have announced the creation of a partnership in the field of intelligent transport systems.
  • May 8, 2012
    Windsor is first North American city to launch BYD all-electric buses
    Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis has signed a letter of intent to purchase up to 10, BYD 40-foot electric buses for city transit services in 2012, the first city in North America to launch long-range, all-electric buses. The agreement also opens talks to bring manufacturing of BYD buses to the Ontario region in the near future. Transit Windsor has the unique distinction of running in Canada as well as in Detroit, making this launch one that serves on both Canadian and United States’ roads.
  • April 12, 2013
    Connected vehicles - potential to transform US transportation
    There’s a new face in the driving seat at the US Department of Transport’s ITS Joint Program Office. Fortunately, as Robin Meczes finds out, he’s no learner driver… Ask Kenneth Leonard why he wanted his new job as director of the ITS Joint Program Office, and his answer comes back without a second’s delay. “The potential to save lives, reduce injuries and help people enjoy a more efficient transportation system is the kind of challenge that makes me want to come to work each morning,” he says. “In my opinio
  • February 3, 2012
    Germany's approach to adaptive traffic control
    Jürgen Mück, Siemens AG, describes the three-level approach taken in Germany to adaptive network control