Author: cgiuffrida

CarMedialab and INIT have formed a significant partnership with King County Metro (KCM) to enhance the efficiency and reliability of electric public transportation. This collaboration introduces the advanced Vehicle Health Monitoring System MOBILEvhm as well as the Charge Management System MOBILEcharge to KCM’s fleet of electric buses and trolleybuses, promoting sustainable urban mobility in Seattle, the largest city in the Pacific Northwest of North America.

MOBILEvhm will initially be installed on 45 King County Metro buses. In the coming years, this technology is planned to be expanded to a total of 500 battery electric buses and 174 trolleys over the contract term.. This initiative demonstrates KCM’s commitment to electrification and sets new standards in electric bus fleet management.

Additionally, KCM has chosen the charge management system MOBILEcharge. Under a five-year contract, the software will be implemented as a cloud solution, equipping both existing and future charging stations. A total of 369 charging stations will be outfitted for up to 500 battery electric buses. This enables efficient management and optimization of the charging infrastructure, which is crucial for the smooth operation of the electric fleet.

By integrating the MOBILEvhm software with the existing onboard computers and leveraging the Microsoft Azure Cloud, this partnership provides comprehensive operational insights. The real-time health monitoring enables proactive maintenance, reduces downtime, and ensures high service reliability for Seattle’s public transit users.

Scott Niskanen, project manager at King County Metro, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership and the project’s future:

“This RFP award for MOBILEcharge and MOBILEvhm enables King County Metro to deliver quality service with an electrified bus fleet. This technology supports KCM’s mandate of zero emissions by 2035 and is made possible through collaboration between Metro, KCIT, CarMedialab, and INIT.”

The collaboration between CarMedialab and King County Metro marks an important step towards a more sustainable future for public transportation in Seattle. By employing modern technology for monitoring and maintaining the electric fleet, CarMedialab and INIT contribute to a cleaner, more efficient public transit system that meets the needs of the community and environmental goals.

Bring e-mobility to your depot without changing all your established processes! The new tool “Charger Based Planning” allows you to set departure times directly at the charging stations instead of at vehicles. This makes your e-bus charging planning more flexible and efficient.

Here’s how Charger Based Planning works

• Set departure times per charging station
  You can set departure times directly for the charging stations instead for each vehicle individually. This means that no matter which e-bus is connected to the charging station, it will be charged according to the set departure time. This provides a flexible solution for charging different buses as needed.

• Create new, special charging plans
  You can set rules for when each charging station should be used. For example, a specific charging station can be set to charge up to 80% daily from 2:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This rule will then apply to all e-buses connected to that station. This makes charging processes more efficient and tailored to the needs of your operation.

• Overview in the MOBILEcharge charging plan monitor
  The planned rules are displayed clearly in the charging plan monitor. This allows you to always keep track of which charging times have been set and how the e-buses are charged accordingly. A transparent overview supports smooth and traceable charging planning.

Many advantages and a simplified workflow

• Enhanced planning capabilities
  Charger Based Planning offers a new way to plan your fleet. This flexibility allows you to tailor your planning to the workflows and needs of your business.

• Departure-optimized dispatching
  The required e-buses are always sufficiently charged by the departure time and are not blocked by other vehicles, regardless of which charging station they were parked at the night before. This ensures reliable and timely departures for the e-buses. In addition, bus drivers have the option of parking the bus at a free charging station in the evening without having to make prior arrangements.

• Efficient use of charging infrastructure
  This feature is particularly beneficial for operations with recurring combinations of buses and charging stations. Planning only needs to be done once, and the recurring charging processes are implemented automatically, significantly increasing efficiency.

• Time savings
  Automation saves dispatchers and depot managers time by eliminating the need to create new loading schedules. This reduces administrative overhead and frees up time for other important tasks.

• Flexibility for transport companies
  For many transportation companies, it is complex to determine in advance which bus will depart at what time. With Charger Based Planning, you can simply park e-buses and the charging station will ensure that the bus is charged by the required departure time. This provides a flexible and simple solution for dynamic planning.

Charging planning according to your needs

With Charger Based Planning, CarMedialab offers more precise, individualized, and automated planning, specifically tailored to the needs of transport companies, dispatchers, and depot managers. Learn more about the benefits of this long-requested, innovative feature and how it can improve your e-bus charging planning.

Feel free to contact us for more information and stay tuned for more updates on CarMedialab’s charge management!

MOBILEcharge now optimizes the charging processes of the e-buses in Völklingen

The Völklinger Verkehrsbetriebe Ltd. has now also opted for the charge management system MOBILEcharge from CarMedialab, a subsidiary of the INIT Group, to efficiently manage the charging processes of its constantly growing fleet of e-buses. 

Sustainability and innovation at Völklinger Verkehrsbetriebe

Völklingen has been using fully electric vehicles since spring 2022 and has already put six e-buses, including an articulated bus, into operation by 2023. These e-buses make a significant contribution to reducing CO2 emissions and promoting climate-friendly public transport. The transport company’s charging infrastructure currently consists of six 150 KW fast chargers. The maintenance of the electric vehicles is supported by a completely renovated workshop hall with a modern electric roof work station.

Further expansion of the charging infrastructure is planned for 2024 and 2025 in order to meet the charging requirements of the 15 new all-electric vehicles that have already been ordered. These include two articulated buses and 12 solo buses from MAN as well as a minibus based on the Mercedes Sprinter.

Long-term partnership with INIT and CarMedialab

Völklinger Verkehrsbetriebe is already a long-standing customer of INIT, the parent company of CarMedialab, and uses the eMOBILE-PLAN system for bus planning with the integrated optimization tool MOBILEopti as well as the depot management system MOBILE-DMS.

With the introduction of MOBILEcharge, charge management has also been taken to a new level. The system consists of 22 charging points, including 1 mobile charging point from Temes, 6 charging points from Siemens and 15 charging points from Ekoenergetyka. These charging points enable optimized and strategic charging planning to maximize bus availability and reduce operating costs, among many other benefits.

With the addition of MOBILEcharge, Völklinger Verkehrsbetriebe can benefit from further advantages of INIT’s integrated solution. By linking charge management and depot management, an optimized charging plan can be created to ensure that all vehicles only receive the charge they need to complete the next round, minimizing peak loads and overall energy costs. It can also ensure that vehicles are automatically rescheduled if a charge cannot be completed properly. In addition, parking spaces at the charging infrastructure can be allocated in a vehicle-optimized manner.

Installation in July 2024

The installation of the MOBILEcharge system is planned for July 2024 and includes the integration of charging points for the various bus models, including six VDL buses and new MAN buses expected in August 2024.

“The switch to e-mobility in public transport improves the quality of life of the citizens of Völklingen and the region in a sustainable way – and also motivates others to switch to a climate-neutral means of transport.” 

Thorsten Gundacker
Managing Director of Völklinger Verkehrsbetriebe GmbH

About CarMedialab

CarMedialab, a subsidiary of INIT, offers innovative solutions for the charge management of electric buses and helps transport companies to operate their fleets efficiently and sustainably. The charge management system MOBILEcharge optimizes charging processes and reduces operating costs.

About INIT

INIT is the world’s leading provider of IT solutions for public transport. With a comprehensive product portfolio that includes systems for planning, scheduling, passenger information, ticketing, depot management and telematics, INIT helps transport companies increase efficiency and improve service quality.

At IT-Trans, the trade fair for public transport, we had the opportunity to talk to Martin Schmitz, Managing Director of Technology at the “Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen” (VDV = Association of German Transport Companies), and conduct a short interview, which is linked at the end of this article.

The VDV develops transport systems and defines standards

The Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen (VDV) plays a crucial role in the German transport industry. It is committed to the development of new transportation systems. As these systems exchange data, the VDV defines technical standards and thus makes processes cost-effective and simple. This standardization ensures shorter implementation times for the systems and high-quality data.

With more than 600 member companies from the public transport, rail and logistics sectors, the VDV plays a key role in shaping the future of mobility in Germany.

The importance of technical standards and interfaces

In the interview, Martin Schmitz emphasizes the importance of working on technical standards and interfaces that make it possible for different products and systems to be compatible with each other. “It is important to define interfaces,” explains Schmitz.

Advantages for system developers and transport companies

For companies such as CarMedialab, which specializes in management systems for electric buses, these standards are of crucial importance. They provide a basis on which innovative solutions can be developed that are interoperable and future-proof. This makes it possible to develop systems that can be seamlessly integrated into existing infrastructures while offering the flexibility to respond to new technologies and market requirements.

These standards also offer considerable advantages for transportation companies. They can be sure that the technology they use is compatible and can be easily integrated into their existing systems. This leads to greater efficiency, lower costs and improved service quality for public transport users.

Standards in charge management: VDV 261 and VDV 463

The VDV publications 261 and 463 play a central role in data communication in the charge management system for electric buses.

The VDV 261 interface regulates the preconditioning between the charge management system and the vehicle via the charging station. Before a bus sets off, it is brought to the right temperature so that it is optimally prepared for departure. The whole process is automated for all buses, extending the range and thus saving time and money.

The VDV 463 interface mediates between the charge management system and pre-systems such as ICTS or BMS (depot management system). This interface can be used in the following three cases: 1. manage circulation and provide charging request, 2. control charging process and transfer information on charging processes and 3. implement preconditioning request and return current status.

In the interview Mr. Schmitz also emphasized: “Of course, these interfaces can also be used internationally, because our manufacturers are building this technology.”

Interview with Martin Schmitz, Managing Director Technology VDV

The UITP (International Association of Public Transport) has recently published a comprehensive checklist for the electrification of bus fleets within a working group. This checklist provides a valuable resource for public transport operators looking to convert their bus fleets to electric vehicles.

The importance of IT systems

The electrification of buses requires the introduction of new IT systems: Depots are rebuilt and routes analyzed to make them suitable for electric buses. IT systems also need to be updated to ensure efficient and smooth operation. These IT systems cover a wide range of functions, from charge planning and charge management to integration with existing IT infrastructures. These will also need to be updated to support the specific requirements of electric vehicles.

Step by step to your bus electrification

Electrification brings significant changes and setting up new and updating existing IT systems is an essential part of any bus electrification project. The new checklist outlines the key steps and considerations that operators need to take into account on their journey to introducing and operating electric bus fleets. It is designed to help keep track of the various aspects of IT systems throughout their lifecycle – from early requirements analysis through to operation and maintenance of the systems.

“It was an honor to be part of this working group. This checklist provides transportation companies with the tools and information they need to make their projects efficient and sustainable. I particularly enjoyed the exchange on charging management systems, standard interfaces and battery analysis, where I was able to contribute the most”.

Maximilian Haag, Head of Sales Public Transport, CarMedialab

Contents

Do you have any questions or would you like more information on charge management, battery analysis or standards and interfaces? Simply get in touch with us. Our Public Transport sales team will be at your disposal.

IT-Trans, the international conference and trade fair for public transport, took place in Karlsruhe from May 14 to 16, 2024. Organized in collaboration with the UITP (International Association for Public Transport), the event attracted numerous experts and companies from the industry.

Charge management system for e-buses

The CarMedialab sales and marketing team were there to present the charge management system MOBILEcharge for e-buses and to exchange ideas with customers. Many interesting discussions were held with companies from the sector, customers, new transport companies and partners. MOBILEcharge, the intelligent system for charging e-buses, was met with great interest and impressed visitors with its latest functions and developments. The latest features, such as the Real Time Power Meter, were demonstrated live in the system for the first time.

Presentation “Checklist for transport companies”

The presentation by Leandro Campo, Sales Manager, was a particular highlight. Under the title “Checklist for transport companies: Introducing IT systems for electric bus fleets”, he explained important aspects of standard interfaces such as VDV 261 and VDV 463 and interoperability in the strategic charging of e-buses.

INIT as the world’s leading provider

The entire INIT Group presented its comprehensive IT solutions for public transportation. As the world’s leading provider, INIT covers a broad spectrum, including planning and scheduling, ticketing and fare management, operations control and passenger information as well as analysis and optimization. This makes INIT the only provider in the world that covers all operational tasks of transport companies. As one of the sponsors of IT-Trans, the company was able to further underline its presence at the trade fair. CarMedialab is a subsidiary of INIT and is glad about the great cooperation.

This was the IT-Trans

IT-Trans 2024 was an excellent opportunity to present CarMedialab’s products and solutions to an international audience and make valuable contacts. We would like to thank all visitors, colleagues and helpers and look forward to future projects and collaborations. We are excited about further trade fairs as well as future developments and innovations in the field of public transportation.

In the era of e-mobility, an efficient and reliable charging infrastructure is crucial for the smooth operation of transport operators. It is important to understand the challenges associated with the digital networking of charging points – especially in critical situations. This is why we have developed the Local Controller – a new, central component in the charge management system MOBILEcharge. It guarantees security and continuity, even if the worst-case scenario should occur and the charging stations are offline.

What is the Local Controller?

The Local Controller is a robust hardware that is connected directly on site via plug and play. This box plays a crucial role in the charge management system by forming the local intelligence that smoothly bridges the connection even if the main connection to the server fails. You are therefore on the safe side in the event of network problems or cyber attacks.

How does the Local Controller work?

1. Independent charging processes: 

The Local Controller ensures that charging processes can continue regardless of the internet connection. Even in the event of a server failure or network problems, the Local Controller continues to enable the intelligent charging of your e-buses.

2. Substation monitoring: 

Substation monitoring is essential for maintaining grid stability. The Local Controller reads data from individual substations and enables notifications in case of faults as well as an evaluation of energy flows.

3. Automatic preconditioning: 

The Local Controller supports the preparation of e-buses in accordance to VDV 261 before they deploy. The device provides the technical requirements for the VDV 261 standard if these are not available.

Why is the Local Controller important for your charging management?

The local controller gives you additional security through redundancy. Critical charging and monitoring functions can be carried out locally thanks to the hardware. This increases the reliability of the entire system. In times when reliability is increasingly becoming a key factor, the Local Controller provides essential protection for you, your employees and passengers against unforeseeable events such as server failures, network problems or cyberattacks.

For further information or any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us. Get in touch with Maurice Hausner, Sales Manager Public Transport and stay tuned for the latest developments in the charge management system MOBILEcharge.