The Institute for Transportation & Development Policy have produced a guide, aimed at cities and governments, which provide insights into the implementation of an effective charging infrastructure for an electrified bus fleet.
The thinking behind the report is that the acquisition of electric busses tends to be an overriding priority when a city decides to electrify its fleet. Charging infrastructure is often an afterthought or cobbled together as and when it appears to be needed.
As the report observes: ‘With an effective charging plan, one e-bus can typically replace a diesel bus on most routes. However, without a plan, one diesel bus might need two e-buses to operate the same service, dramatically increasing costs.’
Titled ‘Advancing E-Buses: Batteries and Charging Guide’, the guide emphasises the need to align vehicle electrification with infrastructure planning, offering a framework to help make informed decisions regards battery technologies, charging methods, and fleet management.
The guide is divided into three sections, covering Battery Technologies, Charging Strategies and Decision-Making Framework.
The guide also identifies five critics steps to ensure a successful transition to and electrified fleet:
- Map the political context and key stakeholders
- Understand route charging needs and prioritize routes
- Assess battery and charging market
- Evaluate charging scenarios and select the best strategy for the case at hand
- Implement and monitor
The CEO of ITDP, Heather Thompson said: ‘Currently, many governments are focused primarily on the procurement and deployment of vehicles and fleets themselves. However, for the long-term success of these systems and their operations, an electric transition requires a much more comprehensive approach than just swapping out traditional bus fleets.
‘Governments must also place equal emphasis on assessing opportunities and challenges related to battery technologies, charging infrastructure, grid capacity, and operational planning to ensure e-bus fleets are made resilient and reliable in the long run. Otherwise, the lack of planning for a city’s charging and grid capabilities can result in costly inefficiencies that hinder, rather than help, electric mobility.’
The guide can be accessed here.