Author: Pfahli

The electrification of bus fleets is much more than a technological change. It is an operational revolution. Transport companies are faced with the challenge of getting their e-buses on the road in a planned, efficient, and reliable manner. But when is a bus really ready for use? This is exactly where intelligent charging management comes into play.

The challenges at the e-bus depot

Unlike conventional refueling, charging electric buses requires precise coordination of charging times, energy flows, and vehicle conditions. Without digital support, bottlenecks, peak loads, or even departure cancellations can quickly arise. Added to this are factors such as fluctuating electricity prices, limited grid capacities, and the need for predictive maintenance.

Key challenges at a glance:

• High complexity: Different routes, route profiles, and vehicle types require individual charging needs.
• Susceptibility to faults and lack of transparency: Charging interruptions due to communication problems, grid fluctuations, or hardware errors disrupt operations.
• Rising operating costs: Without load management, expensive peak loads occur.
• Lack of transparency: Without linking charging processes to circulation schedules, telematics, or vehicle statuses, data silos are created that offer no added value.

The solution: MOBILEcharge & MOBILEvhm

MOBILEcharge offers a charging management system that goes far beyond simple charging planning. Together with MOBILEvhm for real-time monitoring, this creates an integrated solution that secures the entire depot operation.

The benefits at a glance:

1. Reduce costs: through tariff-optimized, schedule-based, and battery-optimized charging.
2. Simplify charging processes: thanks to real-time monitoring, reporting, and automatic troubleshooting.
3. Increase reliability: through intelligent load management, self-sufficient local controllers, and preconditioning.

White paper: Operational reliability through charge management

This white paper shows how transport companies are using CarMedialab solutions to overcome specific challenges in the operation of their electric buses — with practical examples and recommendations for action.

Download

We are pleased to announce that we have won the tender from TMB (Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona). As part of this project, CarMedialab will implement the system MOBILEcharge for TMB’s entire electric bus fleet.

Implementing MOBILEcharge into 200 charging stations
The partnership involves implementing an intelligent management platform for the electric charging processes of TMB fleet. The contract includes the connection of over 200 charging stations and intelligent networking with operational systems and energy supply.

Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona, a transportation giant
TMB operates two transport networks – the bus network and the subway network. With a fleet of over a 1000 vehicles and more than 100 routes, the bus network covers over 900 km between Barcelona and the ten cities in the metropolitan area. 

We are delighted to work with TMB and contribute to the development of sustainable mobility in one of Europe’s most dynamic cities.

For further information please contact:
Leandro Campo | Sales Manager Public Transport
leandro.campo@carmedialab.com

New in MOBILEcharge: Substation Monitoring

Overview of the energy quantity
The Substation Monitor is a tool that provides you with a comprehensive overview of the current energy utilization of your charging infrastructure. With a clear display of all relevant data, you can see in real time how much energy is still available to charge your buses. This information is not only crucial for ongoing operations, but also for the long-term planning and optimization of your resources.

Overview of the energy sources
The Substation Monitor not only measures energy consumption, but also shows how much energy is still available from the various sources. This allows you to make decisions about vehicle charging based on actual energy availability. Ancillary consumers such as company buildings on the site, workshops or similar are also monitored.

Overview of the electrical infrastructure
The new function makes energy flows visible and independently controlled. Technical problems can be detected at an early stage. Another new feature of the system is the ability to create optimized connections between substations. This is particularly useful if a substation fails or requires maintenance, as it allows the energy distribution to be adapted flexibly. Downtimes are reduced or, in the best case, prevented.

Full control over the substations
Previously, operators could only see the charging stations and buses – now they can also see the substations. Details can be easily added and edited. Now you can make informed decisions for creating redundancy layouts in emergencies.

For further questions and insights into the MOBILEcharge demo version, please contact Leandro Campo – leandro.campo@carmedialab.com.