Electric bus charging solutions from ABB, will support TriMet’s objective to make Portland an even more environmentally friendly city.
TriMet has the eleventh largest bus fleet in the United States, which eliminates more than 210,000 car trips every day in Portland, Oregon metro area.
As part of a pilot program, five New Flyer Xcelsior CHARGE whisper-quiet electric buses will run along one of TriMet’s routes to determine whether all-electric buses can be rolled out across the TriMet system in the near future.
The ABB bus chargers will be powered by energy derived from wind power from Portland General Electric.
“Our first battery-electric bus – fueled by all wind power – is rolling into service, putting our agency and the region on the forefront of a cleaner future,” said Doug Kelsey, TriMet’s general manager. “This is just the beginning of the road as we transition from a diesel bus fleet to a green fleet.”
ABB’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure was selected to power the five e-buses.
“ABB is serious about tackling climate change and we are proud to be a part of TriMet’s efforts to reduce the region’s air pollution,” says Stephanie Medeiros, ABB Electric Vehicle Infrastructure. “ABB will help the transit operator navigate the transition from fossil-fueled vehicles to electric ones by providing TriMet with the bus charging technology, including a 450 kW en-route interoperable opportunity charger and 150 kW sequential bus depot chargers in 2019.”
ABB Ability enabled EV Charging solutions allow customers to thrive with the Industrial Internet of Things by connecting chargers to the Microsoft Azure cloud-based platform.
These chargers will be operated and maintained with the help of ABB’s 24/7 managed network operation center, monitoring the connectivity between the charger and the customers’ B2C platform.
Scalability is vital as bus networks transition from pilot programs to fully electrified fleets. Having developed its fast-charging technology in partnership with leading vehicle manufacturers, ABB has designed a modular e-bus solution that meets future requirements for EVs.
This future-proof design allows for less complex and cost-effective field upgrades for operators to increase power ratings from 150 kW to 450 kW.
ABB, synonymous with electric-transportation breakthroughs during its 130-year history, has become a global leader in connected DC charging systems for electric vehicles. Some 10,500 ABB DC chargers have now been sold across 73 countries, more chargers than any other manufacturer, while ABB’s partnership with the FIA Formula E Championship is championing e-mobility for a sustainable future.
Fortune Magazine recently ranked ABB #8 on its list of companies that are “changing the world” for the advances it has made in e-mobility and electric vehicle charging.