Siemens Smart Infrastructure will provide the charging infrastructure for 21 fully electric low-floor buses in Leipzig. VDL Bus & Coach received the associated contract from the Leipziger Verkehrsbetriebe (LVB) GmbH, the public transport operator in Leipzig.
The charging systems from Siemens will supply electrical energy to VDL buses on lines 74, 76 and 89 as well as at the Lindenau bus depot and are scheduled to go into operation in 2021. The electrification of local public transport is a major lever for sustainable urban planning. With its Mobility Strategy 2030, also the City of Leipzig aims to develop environmentally-friendly transport systems.
“Switching to electric bus transport requires not only the vehicles but also an efficient charging infrastructure that guarantees reliable operation. We are pleased to have Siemens with its widely diversified portfolio and expertise as our partner in this project,” said Boris Höltermann, Managing Director of VDL Bus & Coach Germany. Siemens will deliver systems for charging the 21 electric buses along the routes as well as in the depot. Four terminal stations will be equipped with a total of five Sicharge UC 600 fast-charging units with an effective power of 450 kilowatts (kW) for opportunity charging. The medium-voltage connection, the transformer as well as the low-voltage power distribution will be integrated into the charging stations to facilitate the hook-up to the local power grid. This compact design of the charging stations allows for space-saving installation. At the depot, buses will be charged primarily overnight or during other operational breaks using 21 Sicharge UC 100 charging units with charging power of up to 100 kW. In both systems the connection is realized via contact hoods. This means: Like a streetcar, the buses will be equipped with a pantograph that is moved bottom-up for charging. The vehicle charges automatically via the contact rails mounted in the hood.
“I’m confident that, together with VDL and the Leipzig transport operator LVB, we will make the transition to electric buses with ease,” said Jean-Christoph Heyne, Head of Future Grids at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “eBus depots will play a particularly important role in the cities of the future. During the planning stage, it is important to design the overall system according to the customer’s individual needs, including power supply, charging technology and control of the charging processes. This requires the best possible combination of the energy, mobility, and building worlds.”
In a related news, Siemens Smart Infrastructure has received a contract from Verkehrs- Aktiengesellschaft Nürnberg (VAG) to equip its new “eBus port” with a medium- voltage connection and charging infrastructure. With 39 parking spaces, it will be one of the largest electric bus depots in Germany. Located on the VAG premises in the Nuremberg suburb of Schweinau, it will be supplied solely with green electricity. Construction has already started, and operations are scheduled to start in 2021.
Electric buses are key to reducing air and noise pollution in cities, and thus improving the quality of life. Just having one eBus traveling approximately 200 km per day can save about 60 tons of CO2 per year, even compared to the most modern diesel buses. For this reason, the electrification of local public transportation is often an essential aspect of climate measures in cities.
At a total of 39 parking spaces in the innovative eBus Port of VAG, the charging infrastructure from Siemens will support simultaneous charging of up to 20 buses overnight or during other breaks in operations.
To connect the depot to the public power grid, Siemens will install a number of electrical systems, including medium-voltage equipment and transformers. Power within the depot will be distributed to the individual charging stations via low-voltage switchgear.
The charging system will consist of 20 Sicharge UC 200 charging stations. Each of these can supply up to 150 kW, powering two parking spaces via a charging cable and connector.
“For depot charging, it is critical to integrate the charging processes into the existing infrastructure and workflows in the best possible way,” explained Jean-Christoph Heyne, Head of Future Grids at Siemens Smart Infrastructure. “Early on, in the design phase, we look at how much electricity is available at the location and how many buses need to charge simultaneously. With our portfolio, we are helping VAG Nuremberg set up electrical charging in one of their first major depots for both flexibility and economic efficiency.”
[source: Siemens]
