Opbrid Bůsbaar V3 Automatic Charging Station for Buses and Trucks World Premiere at IAA

Opbrid and Furrer+Frey unveil the all-new Opbrid Bůsbaar ultra fast-charging station for urban buses and trucks. Standards-based, very high-power capabilities, with low cost, weight, and size enabling the electrification of practically any vehicle

The Opbrid Bůsbaar V3 is designed for ultra high power mode 4 DC charging, up to 650kW. This amount of power transfer uses safe and Opbrid Busbaarreliable conductive technology transferred from the European electric rail industry by our partner Furrer+Frey, with over 90 years of experience in high power transfer to locomotives. This amount of power transfer enables scenarios such as super short charge stops and 24 hour operation. Since the Opbrid Trůkbaar and Bůsbaar are 100% compatible, cities can leverage their investment in bus chargers by also using them for rubbish collection, delivery vehicles and street cleaners. Vehicles of various heights can charge at the same station due to the large vertical working range of the charging station.

Roger Bedell, Founder and CEO of Opbrid; “The Busbaar has been redesigned from the ground up to be the highest power and most standards oriented charging station for the demands of heavy duty buses and trucks, now and far into the future.”

The new design of the Opbrid Trůkbaar and Bůsbaar V3 also liberates designers to create curbside charging stations that blend into existing streetscapes, or that stand out as elegantly sculptured street furniture. This is because the overhead pantograph is compact and hidden underneath a weatherproof cover. This means that the mounting post as well as the weatherproof cover can be almost any shape imaginable, giving designers unlimited freedom.

While plug-in urban buses like the Volvo Electric Hybrid are natural candidates for fast charging en route, there are also very compelling business cases for fast charged electric trucks in diverse areas such as refuse collection, airport vehicles, ports, and delivery trucks. The Opbrid Trůkbaar is designed to be easily mounted on most trucks due to its compact, lightweight, and simple design. Both the Opbrid Trůkbaar and the new Opbrid Bůsbaar V3 share the same design by Furrer+Frey of Switzerland, with a pantograph which lowers from the curbside station, and an inexpensive transverse 4 contact bar on the roof of the vehicle.

Of course, safety is our utmost concern, so the Opbrid Trůkbaar and Bůsbaar V3 have been designed to conform to IEC and ISO standards for high power DC charging, with 4 contacts, correct contact sequence, and built-in verification of contact surface before charging. The parking tolerance is quite broad and reliable due to our years of experience making bus fast charging stations. An optional insulating cover for the on-vehicle part is available to add an additional layer of safety. The station retracts upward to over 4.5 meters when not charging to fulfill traffic regulations.