ABB fast chargers power Norway’s biggest electric bus project

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ABB is set to supply eight Heavy Vehicle Chargers (HVCs) to Trøndelag County Council to power a fleet of 35 fully electric vehicles in one of Europe's largest electric bus schemes. The project is one of the first projects where fully electric buses of two different bus brands will run a large scale commercial operation using the same charging infrastructure.

Demonstrating the need for interoperability and the strength of open interfaces, ABB's HVC 450P chargers, will charge 25 Volvo 7900 Electric buses and 10 Heuliez GX 437 buses. All buses are fully electric and operated by Tide Buss in the city of Trondheim, Norway on behalf of Trøndelag County Council.

ABB's powerful charger, HVC 450P provides 450 kW DC output power and can recharge a battery in three to six minutes. The chargers are compatible with OppCharge, an interoperable and open interface for DC electric bus charging that uses a pantograph mounted on the infrastructure. The contract is for a ten year period and will include connected services like remote management to ensure high uptime during operation through ABB Ability™.

Per Olav Hopsø, head of Transport Committee, from Trøndelag County Council said: "Working with ABB has enabled us to deliver a high quality and reliable solution which allows operators from different networks to work simultaneously and share infrastructure. This not only provides good economies of scale and return on investment, but continues to support our forward thinking approach in delivering first-rate modern infrastructure for our region. With the help of innovative companies such as ABB, public transport within the city of Trondheim will be fossil free by 2019."

ABB opportunity chargers offer charging at the end of a bus route during layover time. The chargers will be installed at the endpoints of four bus routes that are being electrified, including some more remote locations served by the Trondheim bus route.

Commenting on the initiative, Frank Mühlon, Head of ABB's Global Business for Electric Vehicle Charging, said: "At 35 vehicles, Trondheim will have the largest electric bus fleet in Norway and we are proud to have been chosen as a strategic partner.

"This scheme is a great example of how ABB's commitment to developing open technology means our products can support large scale, multi-supplier projects without the need for additional investment in infrastructure."

Part of the ABB Ability™ portfolio of connected solutions, the chargers also allow for greater visibility and control of infrastructure networks, minimizing downtime and increasing efficiency. ABB Ability™ delivers web-enabled connectivity that allows network operators to perform several functions, including the remote monitoring and configuration of charge points, the resolution of driver issues, the servicing of equipment with minimal downtime and the flexibility to connect to any charging network, back-office or energy management solution.

Frank concludes: "We are working hard to build a smarter and greener network and believe that EV technology is the key to driving-up efficient transport systems across Europe and beyond. We are proud to be working with Tide Buss to deliver a stronger EV infrastructure for the future of Trondheim."

The new fully electric buses will be entirely emission-free and will run on four routes in Trondheim, covering distances of between 12 and 15 km each. The HVC 450P chargers will be delivered in February 2019 with operations due to start in August.

ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, industrial automation and power grids, serving customers in utilities, industry and transport & infrastructure globally. Continuing a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB today is writing the future of industrial digitalization with two clear value propositions: bringing electricity from any power plant to any plug and automating industries from natural resources to finished products. As title partner of Formula E, the fully electric international FIA motorsport class, ABB is pushing the boundaries of e-mobility to contribute to a sustainable future. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 135,000 employees. www.abb.com