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OppCharge technology on e-buses in Milan

Écrit par akrause le . Publié dans Public Transport.

Smart charging of buses with “OppCharge”
Alstom – a world leader in railroad technology – manufactures, among many other things, streetcars and trains for mass transit. Thanks to our charge controller, smart charging for buses has been made possible.

Sketch of an e-bus with pantograph
(Source: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Opportunity-charging_fig2_351210637)

OppCharge and Pantograph
Here, charging is done with so-called “Opportunity Charging”, among experts this is called: OppCharge. This refers to opportunity charging of the batteries of buses or trucks: With this technology, they are recharged with high energy at terminal stations or selected locations. The challenge here is to transfer a lot of energy in a short time. The connection is made by conductive poles and rails on the vehicle as well as Wifi communication and control within an automatic connection system. For charging, the pantograph is moved to the contact point on the roof of the vehicle. 

The charging process works

Successful acceptance test on site
With our valuable client we’ve performed successful acceptance test onsite. This was to verify that the application works as planned for the customer. Smart Charging from CarMedialab offers embedded systems that can be integrated into both the vehicle and the charging pole. For vehicle and charging pole to harmonize, software and hardware must be in perfect harmony. Our software stacks help to make this possible.

OppCharge charging process with pantograph

Here you can read more about our software stacks:

https://www.carmedialab.com/en/produkte/smartcharging/

Click here for a free consultation appointment:

https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/CarMedialab@carmedialab.com/bookings/

Good bus charging management is compatible with existing systems

Écrit par akrause le . Publié dans Public Transport.

Future-proof charging management thanks to VDV-Normen
Users of our charging management system MOBILEcharge benefit from the interoperability of the software to efficiently charge many electric buses. But what does that mean exactly?

Interoperability generally means that a system can work together with other systems. If the system’s interfaces are open, collaboration can work with two or more programs or systems. Thus, multiple systems can be integrated without problems of access or implementation.

Interoperability enables the integration of existing systems

At Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (rnv) for example, e-buses, as well as passenger cars, are charged at four depots with over 100 charging points. Various interfaces ensure optimal functionality: VDV 463 between charging management and depot management system (DMS) at the customer’s site and VDV 261 for communication between charging management and vehicle to control preconditioning (Interior and battery are tempered in time). Compliance with these VDV standards enables a high degree of interoperability. GoRaleigh based in the USA also controls and monitors the charging activities of the e-buses with MOBILEcharge in connection with the control centre. Changes can be made permanent so that charging can always be carried out in a cost-saving manner.

Conveniently charge and monitor e-buses
Through our charging management system MOBILEcharge, all charging processes can not only be primarily controlled but also monitored in real-time. Charging with reduced amperage increases battery life while lowering overall energy demand.

Your contact person:
Maximilian Haag
Phone +49.7251.7240.161
maximilian.haag@carmedialab.com

The ideal way to deal with rising gasoline prices

Écrit par admin le . Publié dans Public Transport.

Increasing gasoline prices
Who would have thought six months ago how much our gasoline prices would be affected by a major crisis in the middle of Europe? None the less, here we are. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, gasoline prices have been rising rapidly, and unfortunately, it looks like the rest of the world will also be affected by the war raging in our European backyard. Since Russia is one of the biggest energy suppliers when it comes to crude oil, prices have increased by a whopping 42% compared to gasoline prices at the beginning of 2021.

This is how much people spend on gasoline
Share of fuel costs per 1000 km in net wages in percent, Germany

*March 2022: estimation
In fact, a large part of the price of gasoline in Germany is taxes and fees.
(Source:https://www.sueddeutsche.de/wirtschaft/spritpreis-diesel-benzin-steuer-entlastung-1.5545192)

Increased use of public transport
However, the rising gasoline prices also mean that more and more people are switching to public transportation like taking the bus to work. Gasoline prices will remain at an all-time high for the foreseeable future, but you can reduce your gasoline consumption on public transportation with our innovative and cost-effective products. Introducing: MOBILEefficiency. CarMedialab’s driver assistance system MOBILEefficiency records real-world fuel consumption and driving situations during operation and automatically generates reports. These reports provide valuable information on energy demand and fuel consumption based on analysis and empirical values. By informing drivers in real-time when they are braking or accelerating too hard, more energy-efficient driving is achieved and encouraged. For example, York Region Transit in Toronto introduced MOBILEefficiency in December 2017 and has already seen an average 50% reduction in unsafe and inefficient vehicle use.

In addition, MOBILEefficiency helps protect passengers on public transportation. By notifying the driver of unsafe driving, action can be taken to correct it. Warnings appear if the driver makes sudden steering movements or applies the brakes too hard. Driving behavior improves, resulting in satisfied passengers who can be assured that they are being transported from A to B in a safe manner. Long periods of idling are detected, encouraging the driver to turn off the engine and avoid wasting resources. That means you can make sure that you are protecting the environment by assuring not overspending valuable energy.

Save resources
MOBILEefficiency helps to reduce fuel costs. Even if one already uses electric vehicles for public transport, one can still benefit from MOBILEefficiency as one can increase its range. One can even view their energy consumption specifically by vehicle, route, driver and even time of day. The data from our driver assistance system can also be used to create training programs for drivers to improve their driving style in general. Use MOBILEefficiency to effectively reduce energy consumption, energy emissions and costs.

Hydrogen and electric buses with VHM and Efficency in USA

Écrit par akrause le . Publié dans Public Transport.

Each bus reduces CO2 emissions by 135 tons per year
The dual city of Champaign-Urbana is using CarMedialab’s MOBILEvhm and MOBILEefficiency software on 16 buses in the USA. Fourteen of them are e-buses, two of which are powered by hydrogen. The location is a university town with a population of about 88,000 in the state of Illinois, south of Chicago.

Completely emission-free!
Mass Transit District is the first transit agency in the country with 100% sustainable hydrogen buses

The special thing about the project in Champaign-Urbana is that this city is one of the rare places with emission-free hydrogen production: Instead of producing hydrogen from the extraction of natural gas and thus releasing greenhouse gases, an electrolyzer is used. This splits water into hydrogen and oxygen – with the help of solar energy. 

Nuria Fernandez announcing the zero-emission buses (Source: https://illinoisnewsroom.org/hydrogen-buses-roll-out-from-urbana/)

“The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District is certainly a pioneer because this system emits only water vapor instead of greenhouse gases, and that’s leading the way in the fight against climate change,” said Nuria Fernandez, director of the Federal Transit Administration. For those interested in the benefits of e-buses, feel free to stop by our latest blog post.

More detailed information can be found here: 

https://illinoisnewsroom.org/hydrogen-buses-roll-out-from-urbana/

Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District Video:

https://mtd.org/inside/projects/zero-emission-technology/

Diesel bus emissions - who knows the bad smell?

Écrit par akrause le . Publié dans Public Transport.

For an environmentally friendly future in public transport – setting a green example!
Do you know this too? You’re riding your bike to work, school or university and suddenly you notice by the smell: a diesel bus stops next to you.

Noise and odor pollution are the order of the day. Many countries are setting a good example: China, for example, has the largest share of all electric buses worldwide running thanks to subsidies, and Salzburg is relying on the zero-emission OBUS, short for “Oberleitungsbus”. Germany, for example, can point to the VHH in Hamburg or the LVB in Leipzig. In the meantime, every transport company should decide in the long term to convert to electric buses, because this process takes time. So: If you want low-congestion as well as climate-neutral local transport by 2030, you should get started now!

Source: https://press.mantruckandbus.com/corporate/de/man-setzt-messlatte-in-puncto-reichweite-elektrobus-knackt-550-kilometer-marke/

What are the costs of an e-bus? 
The purchase price for an e-bus is higher than for a conventional diesel bus, but there are still many advantages. The German Environment Ministry’s subsidy program covers up to 80 percent of the additional costs incurred compared to a diesel bus, and also up to 40 percent of the costs required for startup, such as driver training. As with electric cars, the higher cost of the investment is recouped through lower expenses in operation as well as for maintenance.

Why are e-buses so efficient?
In “stop and go” operation of public transport buses, both energy and brakes are conserved. This works thanks to instantaneous full torque, which an internal combustion engine cannot provide in this way. In addition, a part of the energy is returned to the batteries during braking. Among experts, this is called “recuperation”.

How do driving and charging work on an e-bus?
E-buses drive like normal diesel buses with automatic transmission. They now have a range of several hundred kilometers – so they are a real option for public transport.

Either the driver stops at a charging station and connects the bus to the charging cable or it charges wirelessly, the latter being increasingly the case. Thus, the driver does not even have to get off the bus – very convenient, in other words. There are also various concepts for flexible use: overnight charging in the depot, intermediate charging at stops, or mixed forms. This is also where the difference to the diesel bus comes in: refueling must take place more often and charging must be organized intelligently.

CarMedialab’s software is ready to do just that. MOBILEcharge enables intelligent charging. 

Let’s become more MOBILE together!

Charge and save: If not now, when?

Écrit par akrause le . Publié dans Public Transport.

Why electric driving is coming to the fore in light of rising gasoline prices
In fact, electric cars are increasingly performing better when you add up all the costs of owning a car. Although they usually have higher initial costs, they are significantly more economical, for example in terms of maintenance: Savings of up to 35 percent can be achieved here. In the long term, therefore, the price difference compared to diesel or gasoline vehicles can be compensated for in the acquisition costs. Nevertheless, there are more and more cheaper electric cars on the market with a subsidy of up to 9,000 euros. In addition to the purchase price, there are other factors that come into play.

Taxes
The benefits don’t end with the purchase. Up to ten years of exemption from vehicle tax, depending on the time of registration, can be granted. As a company car with private use, only 0.25 percent of the gross list price even has to be taxed.

Source: https://energyload.eu/elektromobilitaet/ladestationen-infrastruktur/elektroauto-laden/

Charging costs
Not only the billing model is decisive for pricing, but also how high the charging power in kW is at the charging point, how fast you can charge and which car you drive. The efficiency of the energy is very high.

What is unbeatable, however, is that vehicles can charge for free at some supermarkets, for example, while gasoline or diesel are not available for free. Otherwise, of course, the tariff in one’s own household determines further costs, while prices at public charging stations vary widely.

Maintenance
Due to the fact that electrically powered vehicles contain fewer parts that are susceptible to wear, maintenance is a big plus point. Technical inspections are also less expensive, since the exhaust emission test is no longer required.

So what’s stopping you? CarMedialab supports charging station manufacturers with software and manages charging processes to make electric driving possible.

Author: Annalena Krause

Let's change our mobility behaviour!

Écrit par admin le . Publié dans Public Transport.

As the world is changing and the population is growing continuously, the carbon footprint we leave behind grows bigger and bigger as well.

Therefore we need to rethink how to get from A to B with the least possible pollution impact. So how do we do that? The answer lies in sustainability. Using green electricity for fuel to go from one place to another. At the moment, everyone wants to use their own transport vehicle. They fill up the streets since only a few people occupy each vehicle, and this creates a lot of traffic, which then creates even more pollution, as fuel driven cars, busses and trucks let out a lot of carbon dioxide, when waiting at the traffic light.

Now we all need to reconsider the need for transportation and think about the option of going by public transportation instead. Most of the time we’re actually going the same way and we always hate sitting in traffic and wasting time. Time that could be better spend with family and friends.

So what if we changed our mobility behaviour and started using the public transportation? 
Many busses use fossil fuels. But what if we could boast about the public transportation in a whole city purely driven by electricity? The biggest issue with electromobility is the access to charging stations and the distance to travel on a single charging. But we need to dream big and have big goals for the future we want to go in and redesign towns. We need to make sure that the future generations can live and breathe clean air. This is what the transport system should enable.

Improved accessibility and mobility for all
In relation to the BBC series about redefining public transportation, that will be created in collaboration with UITP (The International Association of Public Transport) Simon Shelley, the Vice President of Programme Partnerships for BBC StoryWorks says:

“As we look towards the future of public transport, improved accessibility and mobility for all will play a critical role in the quality of life for both passengers and transport workers – the people at the heart of urban mobility. The story of public transport is that of a passionate and innovative community….”  CarMedialab supports this vision and offers software systems that give people access to the new mobility. Let’s get it on and use public transport!

Hallå där ute!

Écrit par admin le . Publié dans Public Transport.

MOBILEcharge now also speaks Swedish. With our charging management, we contribute our know-how for reliable operation of electric buses. Initially, 12 e-buses will be charged at the brand-new depot of Gamla Uppsala Buss AB (GUB). In addition to the planning system, we will also integrate the network operator’s transformer station and, of course, ensure automated preconditioning of the vehicles. In keeping with the motto: “Are you still charging or are you already driving?” 

Uppsala, Sweden

How to keep track of your vehicle performance in real-time

Écrit par admin le . Publié dans Public Transport.

Comprehensive daily vehicle monitoring with MOBILEvhm
Visualizing the performance of your vehicles in real-time, accessing important performance data (operating hours, filling status and energy consumption, error codes and a lot more) and improving the vehicle performance by use of these data – you can do all that with MOBILEvhm (Vehicle Health Management). It allows full-scale day-to-day monitoring of your fleet when in operation.

With just one vehicle monitoring system you can keep track of your whole diesel or battery-driven fleet of buses and check their performance at all times, regardless of the vehicle manufacturer. In this demonstration, you will discover just how much MOBILEvhm can help improve the performance of your entire fleet.

To the Video