Next Level Sustainability for Public Transportation

Public transportation plays an increasingly important role in the push toward a more sustainable world. With electromobility, fleets are transitioning from carbon-based fuel vehicles to all-electric vehicles. While this shift carries many potential benefits, it also requires careful planning and effective management of these newly integrated electric fleets. But what does it take to reach the next level of sustainability in public transportation?

 

The Challenge

Electric buses require specific planning for timetables, blocks, and driver shifts to maximize their efficiency. Different scenarios must be considered when building blocks, such as low-floor, load capacity, route profile (a hilly profile will consume more energy than a flat profile), city bus or regional bus, and range.

The next question is - where and how to plan vehicle charging? The infrastructure and long-term planning need to be examined. Is this the best place to have a charging station? What type of charging station should be used? Battery charging takes longer and occurs more frequently than gasoline fueling. In most cases, agencies with more than a few vehicles will need to charge at the depot, resulting in more dead runs. Alternatively, infrastructure will need to be created if charging along the network and at the depot.  

Once charging stations are chosen, avoiding charging during high peak periods when electricity rates are higher is crucial. Electricity rates vary based on the time of day so charging schedules will affect the bill. Additionally, the planner needs to consider the battery range and distance from the block. The more electric buses an agency possesses, the harder it will be to determine where and when to charge them. Currently, the battery has a limited range before it needs to be recharged. Over the years, battery cells have improved dramatically, making the battery less likely to need to be recharged.

Lastly, the changing variables in the weather and temperature must be considered. During heavy rain, windshield wipers will be used. If it is hot, the A/C will consume energy. If it is cold, the battery will drain faster to heat the vehicle.

The Solution

eMOBILE-PLAN is a powerful tool that helps to integrate electric vehicles into public transit fleets. With the help of MOBILEopti2, users can accurately simulate and forecast medium- and long-term impacts on costs and personnel requirements associated with the operation of electric vehicles.

eMOBILE-PLAN also provides a comprehensive view of how to manage the entire fleet and optimize the usage of electric vehicles. It allows users to create and schedule blocks, calculate charging times for each vehicle, simulates dead runs, consider maintenance costs and personnel requirements, and more. This comprehensive tool can help transit agencies plan for the future of their fleets with confidence and accuracy.

The goal of eMOBILE-PLAN is to provide agencies with a holistic view of managing their fleets and maximizing their operations. With its help, transit agencies can make the most out of their electric vehicles and reach the next level of sustainability.

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eMOBILE-PLAN

Benefits

  • Plans and simulates electric vehicle operations 

  • Considers impacts like route profile, weather, and passenger load.

  • Creates best block and runcut for e-vehicles and diesel

  • Evaluates best charging concept and location

  • Estimates charging costs

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