The Transport for London (TfL) revealed plans for their 20 all-new electric buses that can recharge in only ten minutes, as reported by Review Geek.
(Photo : Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 21: An advertising poster with a pair of eyes on a bus passing the Houses of Parliament on October 21, 2022 in London, England. Following Liz Truss's resignation as Conservative Party Leader and Prime Minister, candidates move to declare their intentions to run as her successor.
The new electric buses will run along the 258 route from Crystal Place to Orpington. According to the Mayor of London, these are not y our usual EVs that need to stop and plug in to recharge the battery. Instead, it will use a novel system that will recharge the electric buses from above during bus route stops in just ten minutes.
The Electric Buses
The electric buses feature a train-style pantographs mounted to the roof that can deliver fast charges to each bus throughout the day. However, they will only charge at bus stops. There won't be no electric wires along the bus route but there is a large charging station at either end of the 15-mile route linking Crystal Palace and Orpington. When an electric bus pulls up, it will lower its arm down through WiFi and charge it,
Each bus will have a battery top-off at destinations then it will continue to serve the public. Moreover, the new eTram buses will roll out in 2023.
The TfL said that the new buses is the first electric bus to have such a technology. The new buses will reduce carbon emissions in London. Moreover, they will contribute to the cleaner air in the capital and it will help to improve the health of Londoners too. Consequently, it will encourage companies to buy electric vehicles as well.
The eTram bus is part of the Mayor's Transport Strategy to encourage businesses to buy zero emission vehicles. TfL said that it wants to provide a retrofit service for existing vehicles by 2026.
Also Read: World's First Electric Double-Decker Bus Unveiled In London
Electric Public Transportation
With the increase in traffic and pollution in the city, people are now looking for a more convenient and comfortable way of traveling. This is the reason why electric public transportation is gaining popularity.
The increasing popularity of electric scooters, electric bicycles and other electric mobility devices has inspired the idea to have electric public transportation.
Although electric bus manufacturers are finding ways to reduce the charging time and make them more efficient, the electric vehicle charging station is scarce. Most electric vehicles need to be plugged in so they could quickly charge. This usually takes hours.
Fast Charging Stations
For electric transportation to become popular, we need electric vehicle charging stations to be everywhere, regardless of location and weather. The problem is electric vehicle charging stations are still not readily available in most of the places. Also, they don't have enough power capacity to supply sufficient electricity to power all electric vehicles.
This is one of the main challenges that electric vehicle charging station owners are facing. They are not able to meet the demand. One way to solve this is by installing fast charging stations near the electric vehicle charging station. See figures below:
- 21,378 public charging points
- 35,778 devices
- 59,059 connectors
This will solve the issue of slower charging times and the insufficient capacity of the original charging station.
Related Article: This Rapid, Wireless Bus Charges Itself from the Roof to Provide Zero-Emission Transportation
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Written by April Fowell
