The collaboration will lead to development by Ashok Leyland of new electric buses using ABB’s flash-charging technology to advance urban mobility while cutting carbon emissions
Ashok Leyland, flagship company of Hinduja Group, and ABB Power Products and Systems India Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the public e-mobility space to expand the eco-system for efficient and greener electric bus transportation systems in India. The MoU outlines a partnership to develop a pilot electric bus based on ABB’s innovative flash-charge technology, TOSA, which tops up the battery in just a few seconds while passengers get on and off the bus. This avoids the need to take the vehicle out of service for recharging every few hours or having a replacement bus ready, thus minimising the size of the fleet while increasing passenger carrying capacity.
“We are pushing the boundaries of e-mobility with our flash-charging technology for buses to contribute to a cleaner, greener, and sustainable future. The aim is to provide a zero local emission mass public transportation bus system with high passenger capacity. We are pleased to be working with Ashok Leyland in advancing responsible urban mobility,” said N. Venu, Managing Director, ABB Power Products and Systems India Ltd. (ABB Power Grids’ business in India). The Indian Government is promoting the use of electric vehicles (EVs) – in some cases planning on mandating it – to reach 30% penetration of EVs by 2030. For operators, the switch to electric is a big task.
Their primary challenge with battery-operated buses is to maximise passenger load-carrying capacity and running time to make the whole operation economically viable as well as sustainable for the future. It is in such a scenario that electric buses with TOSA flash-charging technology will prove to be of immense benefit.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. N. Saravanan, Chief Technology Officer, Ashok Leyland, said: “Ashok Leyland has always been at the forefront of innovation and indigenous technology, providing class-leading vehicles that have met and exceeded customer expectations. In this journey, to stay competitive in our domestic and global markets, we are joining hands with ABB to use their world-renowned TOSA technology.”
“This technology on our e-buses will take forward our vision of expanding in the EV space,” he added. TOSA is the world’s fastest flash-charging connection technology that lets cities reduce the environmental pollution of their transit systems without affecting passenger capacity or journey times. At selected passenger stops, its system connects the bus to the charging infrastructure, and in a mere 15 seconds the batteries are charged with a 600 kilowatt power boost. An additional few minutes charge at the final terminal enables a full recharge without interrupting the bus schedule. TOSA fast-charging can save as much as 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide on a line covering 6,00,000 kilometres per year.
It also offers operating cost savings of 30% compared to an equivalent diesel-transit system. ABB is also providing its ABB Ability™ Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software solution for asset optimisation, as well as its ABB Ability Network Manager Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system to monitor and control the power network for charging stations and e-buses. On its part, Ashok Leyland will be providing vehicle, energy and EV-related technical information using its iAlert Platform. This will further optimise maintenance processes, enable a fast response to fault incidents, and better predict maintenance and performance needs. The overall solutions are equipped with remote access and ‘cloud’ capabilities and are scalable to meet future needs.