ASSURED: Real-life trials on interoperability across EU
Project partner ABB has given an update on the EU project ASSURED for the development of new fast-charging solutions for e-vehicles: The next phase of the project will focus on interoperability for electric buses and trucks.
For the ASSURED project, ABB should facilitate greater standardisation for the charging of electric buses. In the period 2020-2021, the interoperability of chargers and vehicles will be demonstrated in practice.
This practical interoperability will be tested in the European cities of Gothenburg in Sweden, Barcelona in Spain and Osnabrück in Germany. In addition to stationary charging stations, mobile versions will also be tested – ABB says it is the sole supplier for the mobile stations.
For this purpose, ABB is using Panto Down and Panto Up pantograph chargers, which can be set up in just four hours. The difference between the two solutions is the pantograph’s eponymous position: With Panto Up, the current collector is located on the vehicle roof and extends upwards in the direction of the charging station. With Panto Down, the current collector is mounted on the infrastructure and lowers onto the vehicle roof for charging. According to ABB, Panto Up is suitable for applications where space is limited in the depot.
“Innovative charging strategies outlined in the report [EU report “Green Vehicles for Horizon 2020″, editor’s note] will help drive down the total cost of ownership for electric fleet operators, helping increase the adoption of eBuses and eTrucks and enabling a more sustainable future in which both noise and air pollution is significantly reduced,” says Frank Mühlon, Managing Director for ABB’s global electric vehicle charging infrastructure business.
ASSURED was launched at the end of 2017 and is scheduled to run for four years. The project consortium, coordinated by the Free University of Brussels, consists of 39 members from 12 countries. These include public transport companies, bus and truck manufacturers, energy suppliers, charging infrastructure providers, national and international associations, municipalities, research institutes and consulting firms.
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