In a landmark move towards widening the adoption of e-mobility in Chile, ABB’s Heavy Vehicle Chargers (HVC) are set to power a fleet of 25 electric buses in the country.
Redbus Urbano, which operates buses in the capital Santiago’s public transport network, unveiled new terminals featuring the chargers in the presence of Chilean minister of Transport, Gloria Hutt. The ceremony also marked the 1000th bus with new Chilean standard (Euro VI or Electric). Santiago now has 411 electric buses in operation, more than any other Latin American city.
ABB has supplied eight Heavy Vehicle Chargers (HVC), each with three depot charging boxes, for the terminals in the cities of Nueva Bilbao and El Salto. These chargers are the first to be supplied in Latin America, and feature ABB’s sequential charging technology.
A single power cabinet is paired with up to three depot charge boxes. Installed in the depot, they are connected with the buses and after the first vehicle has finished charging, the next vehicle will start charging automatically.
The HVC’s provide high charging power to the buses to ensure maximum vehicle availability. In addition, with having three depot boxes connected to a 150 kW power cabinet, charging of three buses only require 33 percent of the grid connection compared to three standalone 150 kW chargers, reducing initial investment and operational costs.
For Henri Rohard, Commercial and Development Manager of Transdev Chile (owners of Redbus Urbano), the selection of ABB was based on the interoperability of its charging solutions, meaning they can operate with vehicles from different bus manufacturers, as well as the performance and longevity of its solutions. “In France and Sweden we have charging stations with ABB so we already have a positive experience”, he said.
Frank Muehlon, Head of ABB’s global business for E-mobility Infrastructure Solutions commented: “ABB is a global market leader in DC fast charging solutions and we are delighted to have the opportunity to support Redbus Urbano on launching this milestone project.
“Our chargers were selected for their compatibility with the CCS charging standard and their interoperability, the simplicity of installation and their efficient connection to the grid. As the service goes into operation today, we hope that this will serve as an example of what sustainable transport solutions can achieve in Chile and beyond.”
Climate change and environmental concerns are prompting countries across the world to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In Chile, the transport sector accounts for 24.5 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the United Nations1.
The Chilean government has an ambitious plan to ensure that 40 percent of its private vehicles and all public transport vehicles are electric by 20502. The country also aims to have the second largest electric buses fleet globally, right after China3. As part of ABB Electrification’s Mission to Zero for smart cities, it is helping the country achieve this goal by playing an important role in providing one of the most essential parameters – a reliable, safe and effective charging infrastructure.
Indeed, with the potential to reduce emissions by 1,500 tons per year, the launch of the Redbus Urbano electric fleet will take the country forwards towards achieving its goals under the Paris Climate Agreement.
Since entering the electric vehicle charging market about a decade ago, ABB has sold more than 13,000 ABB DC fast chargers across over 80 countries. Reinforcing its commitment to write the future of sustainable mobility, ABB received the Global E-mobility Leader 2019 award for its active role in advancing international adoption of zero-emission transport solutions. ABB offers products and services that provide a crucial contribution to increased sustainability in industry. Close to 60 percent of ABB worldwide sales are generated with technology that contributes to the elimination of the causes of climate change.
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a technology leader that is driving the digital transformation of industries. With a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB has four, customer-focused, globally leading businesses: Electrification, Industrial Automation, Motion, and Robotics & Discrete Automation, supported by the ABB Ability™ digital platform. ABB’s Power Grids business will be divested to Hitachi in 2020. ABB operates in more than 100 countries with about 144,000 employees. www.abb.com
[1] Article by United Nations Environment Programme
[2] Article by Reuters
[3] Article by United Nations Environment Programme
