Skip to main content

Supercapacitors boost electric bus charging

Israeli defence company Elbit Systems, which will exhibit at the forthcoming Fuel choices Summit in Tel Aviv, is developing an electric bus charging system that would allow vehicles to boost their batteries at terminal stations. There, the buses would connect to supercapacitors that charge the buses quickly so that they can operate for precisely calculated distances, according to the Jerusalem Post. Elbit’s supercapacitors aim to power buses for one full route, allowing them to recharge in the span of le
November 27, 2014 Read time: 2 mins
Israeli defence company Elbit Systems, which will exhibit at the forthcoming Fuel choices Summit in Tel Aviv, is developing an electric bus charging system that would allow vehicles to boost their batteries at terminal stations. There, the buses would connect to supercapacitors that charge the buses quickly so that they can operate for precisely calculated distances, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Elbit’s supercapacitors aim to power buses for one full route, allowing them to recharge in the span of less than a minute at the vehicle’s terminal stop. As passengers descend from and board the bus, the vehicle will quickly become fully charged for another route.

Each charging station would be able to handle about 60 buses per hour and during normal business hours the charging stations could be powered by green electricity sources like solar energy, Elbit said. For lines routes longer than 10 kilometres, it will be possible to install charging stations at additional pickup stations.

Related Content

  • September 24, 2020
    Tel Aviv road goes electric
    Pilot aimed at improving city's air quality involves ElectReon and Dan Bus Company
  • January 31, 2012
    Solar-powered traffic detection improves communication
    Pete Goldin reports on a new wireless, solar-powered traffic detection system being used by Caltrans District 12. As more and more traffic data is necessary to satisfy the needs of traffic management centres and traveller information systems, and as traffic detection technology becomes more ubiquitous, transportation authorities are pressured to find more economical ways of expanding their detection systems. Caltrans District 12 is leading this push by deploying the latest detection system from Case Global
  • October 10, 2012
    Wireless charging project could change perceptions of electric vehicles
    A two-year pilot project has begun in London with taxi firm Addison Lee and electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Renault, which uses the principle of magnetic induction to jump electricity from a base station direct to the vehicle’s battery to deliver wireless charging. The charging technology being used is called Halo and has been developed by mobile innovations company Qualcomm, the organisation responsible for processors powering the latest generation of smartphones and tablets. ‘EV drivers will opt for th
  • October 5, 2017
    Lothian introduces electric bus fleet, Edinburgh
    Lothian Buses has launched a fleet of six fully electric vehicles to operate in Edinburgh Service 1 route to reduce emissions and improve air quality in the area. The company claims its fleet will carry 1.8 million customers each year throughout the hilly terrain. The Wrightbus Street Air single deck buses (WSASDB) operate on pure electric powertrain, including an all-electric heating and cooling system, and have regenerative braking allows energy to be recovered to the batteries.