Skip to main content

Tag: VDV261

All about VDV 261

Written by skrause on . Posted in Public Transport.

Anyone familiar with the field of public transport has certainly heard of the VDV 261 guideline. But what is VDV 261 actually?

What is VDV 261?
VDV 261 is a technical document published by the Association of German Transport Companies that describes how to ensure the data exchange necessary for the preconditioning of vehicles. This means, for example, that the temperature in the bus can be adjusted for passengers even before the bus departs from the charging station. And not just for one bus, but automatically for all buses.

Preconditioning leads to a longer range of battery-powered vehicles, since the energy needed to heat up or cool down the vehicles for the first time is not taken from the battery, but from the power grid. In short, VDV 261 increases comfort, increases range and saves time and therefore money, as processes no longer have to be done manually but are automated.

How does VDV 261 work?
VDV 261 describes how the value-added services of ISO 15118 must be used to automatically precondition vehicles during a charging process. Intelligent charging management enables so-called preconditioning, basically a “preparation” of the buses, via the existing charging infrastructure. There are various options for this, e.g. heating, cooling, ventilating. As soon as the electric bus is connected to a charging station, the data sent can be used to determine precisely whether preconditioning is required and, if so, in what form, so that the vehicle is ideally prepared at departure time. The challenge here lies in the smooth communication from the vehicle via the charging station to the charging management, as this communication chain must be encrypted and coordinated with all parties involved.

What is the benefit of VDV 261?
The VDV 261 interface helps to optimize planning and processes and to minimize potential risks. Because heating e-buses that are not currently connected to the charging station consumes a lot of energy and has a negative impact on the range. The bus is connected to VDV 261 during preconditioning at the charging station – so there is no need to worry about range. Passengers also experience more comfort as the temperature can be optimally prepared.

In addition to VDV 261, the standard VDV 463 is recommended – more information can be found at: https://www.carmedialab.com/en/vdv-463-makes-charge-planning-easy/.

Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr to start charging with MOBILEcharge

Written by admin on . Posted in Public Transport.

80 electric buses will be charged in the future using 52 charging points in 4 depots with theMOBILEcharge charging management system fromCarMedialab. In addition to a customer-specific charging plan, MOBILEcharge supportsrnv in real-time monitoring of the entire charging infrastructure and maintains an overview of the charging processes and health status of the charging points at all times.


rnv Ebus
rnv electric buses will in future be charged using MOBILEcharge charging management system

Interoperability is also required in this project. Among other things, VDV 463 for a connection to the existing depot management system and VDV 261 for preconditioning are components of this installation. 

We are pleased to be working with rnv on an innovative project.

Charge management introduced in North Carolina

Written by admin on . Posted in Public Transport.

First US company implements INIT’s electromobility solution
Numerous orders from all over Europe, inquiries from across the world and now the first order from the US: The INIT Group’s electromobility solutions are in high demand. GoRaleigh, the public transport company in North Carolina’s capital Raleigh, is currently introducing the smart charge management system to efficiently and cost-effectively charge its recently launched electric bus fleet.

By utilising MOBILEcharge from INIT’s subsidiary CarMedialab, the public transport company will automate charging processes, efficiently manage power demands, align service schedules, and proactively maintain their new e-vehicles. The integration with GoRaleigh’s ITCS and planning systems will allow for real-time charging plan updates according to operational needs, ensuring vehicles are charged in an economical and efficient manner.

E-bus_©GoRaleigh
GoRaleigh’s electric buses will be cost-effectively charged and efficiently operated thanks to INIT’s charge management system.

Monitoring charging activities
GoRaleigh will use the system to monitor and coordinate charging activities and ensure electricity limits are not exceeded. They will also be able to categorise the services a vehicle may need to perform (e.g., distinguishing between states of charge suitable for a full-day versus rush-hour assignment), so those plans can be easily implemented again in the future. Even more, GoRaleigh will benefit from reduced electricity costs and improved operational efficiency.

Getting the order from North Carolina means INIT can support yet another company in charge management and operations of an e-bus fleet. In recent times, transport providers in Leipzig (Germany), Bergen (Norway) or Deventer (the Netherlands) have relied on MOBILEcharge for effectively charging their electric vehicles.

Raleigh on their way to an emission-free fleet
The comprehensive functionalities of the INIT solution align with the public transport company’s goal to transition 70% of its fleet to zero or near-zero emissions by 2023. Due to the system’s scalability, it will easily be possible to adapt it to operate a growing fleet of e-buses effectively.

To David Eatman, Assistant Director, City of Raleigh Department of Transportation, this is an important factor on their road to green mobility: “Our partnership with INIT will allow us to intelligently manage the charging process for our e-buses, and realise cost savings through efficient load management and prioritisation according to operational needs.”

Why does charging have to be intelligent and smart?

Written by admin on . Posted in Public Transport.

Because it saves costs, is easier to manage and reduces risks. As an expert in vehicle data and charging technologies combined with our deep understanding of charging management, we are here to assist you handle and deploy your electric fleet.

Read more about our view on smart charging, preconditioning, standardization and how to scale your electric vehicle deployment here:

CarMedialab: how smart charging helps PTO to scale up electric bus deployment. An interview with General Manager Heiko Bauer