ABB and Nova Bus collaborating on electric buses and charging in North America; OppCharge overhead 300kW DC fast charge
10 February 2017
Engineering company ABB and Nova Bus, the North American buses manufacturer and a division of Volvo Buses, announced a business collaboration that consists of the delivery of the first ABB’s electric bus DC fast charger for opportunity charging in North America. The order from Nova Bus is for complete 300 kW modular OppCharge common interface charging system with inverted pantograph technology and commissioning from the new ABB Campus in Montréal.
Electric bus systems based on the OppCharge interface are being implemented in more than 12 countries.
The demo e-bus and charging infrastructure from Nova Bus is scheduled to travel across the US in the Fall of 2017 and to encourage transit authorities to “get on the bus”; contributing to the electrification of urban transit.
Since 2010, ABB has sold approximately 5,000 fast chargers around the world for passenger cars and electric buses. Utilization of technology that comprises cloud-based remote monitoring and control as well as program upgrades via Internet guarantees quick response times and a high degree of availability.
This small 300 KW charging system may be OK as an early system but will have to be upgraded to something between 450 KW to 700 KW for next generation e-buses with much larger battery packs.
Nova/Volvo e-buses (and charging stations) should be in operation by late 2017 or early 2018.
Don't know why Nova/Volvo is re-inventing e-buses while the Volvo 9700 e-buses have been in full operation in many EU countries for almost 3 years?
Gor would rightly say that they are spending government $$$$ in make believe/duplicated projects?
Posted by: HarveyD | 10 February 2017 at 08:18 AM
Harvey
You cannot put a Euro spec bus on road unmodified in North America, the rules are different (dimensions, etc.).
And one more thing:
Domestic Content.
I will say no more.
Posted by: James McLaughlin | 13 February 2017 at 04:59 PM
It is still too much duplicated efforts during (4+ years) plus $XXM in extra development cost mostly paid by tax payers.
The near future purchase of 2,500+ Volvo-Nova/ABB e-buses and charging facilities will be financed at 90+ % with our tax $$$M. End users will finance less than 10%.
OTOH, this programme will put an end to smoky noisy Diesel buses and reduce harmful pollution by 2030 or so..
Posted by: HarveyD | 14 February 2017 at 07:59 AM
School buses and city buses are not the large fuel users, delivery trucks are. Two million 18 wheeler tractors use 100 gallons per day. Whether FedEx/UPS to your home or Fritos to the stores, everything comes by truck.
Posted by: SJC | 14 February 2017 at 09:46 AM
Clean running Hybrid Trucks (batteries + FCs) are overdue and should become available by 2020/2025 or so.
By that time, essential H2 station early networks should be installed in many EU countries, Japan, So. Korea, China and USA's West Coast States etc.
Posted by: HarveyD | 15 February 2017 at 01:20 PM