Quote:
As Tesla and its Supercharger network have demonstrated, it's a lot easier for people to make the switch to electric vehicles if there's a robust and rapid charging infrastructure in place. But we have to electrify more than just passenger vehicles if we want to get serious about reducing emissions. EV manufacturer Proterra certainly thinks so, which is why it just opened up the patents for a new fast-charging system it has developed for electric buses.
Quote:
Proterra's high-voltage overhead charging system uses robotic control (and some autonomous software on the bus) to replenish bus batteries in as little as 10 minutes, depending on the size of the battery pack. Charging at 250-1000V (DC) and up to 1400A, the system is eight times faster than the CHAdeMO fast-charging standard and between three and four times faster than Tesla's Superchargers. And unlike the old-fashioned pantograph, which needs to cover the vehicle's entire route, Proterra's system is static. This means bus operators can install them in terminals or at the same locations they use to refill their diesel tanks.
"The interesting thing is these diesel buses have such massive fuel tanks—given how inefficient they are—that it takes longer to completely refill an 80- or 120-gallon diesel bus system than it does to recharge our electric vehicles," explains Proterra CEO Ryan Popple. "So we're actually getting to the point where the vehicles that are configured for fast charge can be replenished faster than you can stick a hose in the side of a diesel bus and fill it with fuel."
Quote:
According to Popple, Proterra's fast-charger can recharge a 100kWh electric bus in just ten minutes, sufficient for a circulator bus route of 30 (48km) miles or less. That's better than diesel or even natural gas, he told us: "We've gone from something that would have been considered a negative for EVs—slow overnight charging—and now we've gone to the point where EVs are advantaged relative to combustion in terms of speed and ease of refueling." (Recharging the 400kWh batteries of a longer-range electric bus would obviously take longer.)
http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/07/proterra-develops-fast-charging-for-buses-opens-up-the-patents/
Since the distance of most bus stops are within 2-3 miles if this fast chargers are installed at all bus stops, it can charge a bus while it stops to let passengers in and out. Since most stops will be about 1 minutes or a little longer, the fast charger can add 3 miles(or more) of juice to the battery and this is enough for the bus to get to the next stop. This will enable the battery bus to run all day without stopping for hours to recharge its' battery. Please note that this fast charger is for city bus, not long distance bus.
Some will say that since electric can be generated from a dirty coal power plant, this battery bus or any other BEV will pollute the air more than an ICE vehicle(and diesel bus), a cheated diesel from VW will be better for environment.
Please, this thread isn't about dirty coal power plant or some other dirty power plant somewhere in the world, this thread is about the convenience and fast of a new super-fast charger for battery electric bus.
NOTE: Proterra is an American company with headquarter in California, not in China. They have manufacturing plants in So Cal and in South Carolina, none in China.
As Tesla and its Supercharger network have demonstrated, it's a lot easier for people to make the switch to electric vehicles if there's a robust and rapid charging infrastructure in place. But we have to electrify more than just passenger vehicles if we want to get serious about reducing emissions. EV manufacturer Proterra certainly thinks so, which is why it just opened up the patents for a new fast-charging system it has developed for electric buses.
Quote:
Proterra's high-voltage overhead charging system uses robotic control (and some autonomous software on the bus) to replenish bus batteries in as little as 10 minutes, depending on the size of the battery pack. Charging at 250-1000V (DC) and up to 1400A, the system is eight times faster than the CHAdeMO fast-charging standard and between three and four times faster than Tesla's Superchargers. And unlike the old-fashioned pantograph, which needs to cover the vehicle's entire route, Proterra's system is static. This means bus operators can install them in terminals or at the same locations they use to refill their diesel tanks.
"The interesting thing is these diesel buses have such massive fuel tanks—given how inefficient they are—that it takes longer to completely refill an 80- or 120-gallon diesel bus system than it does to recharge our electric vehicles," explains Proterra CEO Ryan Popple. "So we're actually getting to the point where the vehicles that are configured for fast charge can be replenished faster than you can stick a hose in the side of a diesel bus and fill it with fuel."
Quote:
According to Popple, Proterra's fast-charger can recharge a 100kWh electric bus in just ten minutes, sufficient for a circulator bus route of 30 (48km) miles or less. That's better than diesel or even natural gas, he told us: "We've gone from something that would have been considered a negative for EVs—slow overnight charging—and now we've gone to the point where EVs are advantaged relative to combustion in terms of speed and ease of refueling." (Recharging the 400kWh batteries of a longer-range electric bus would obviously take longer.)
http://arstechnica.com/cars/2016/07/proterra-develops-fast-charging-for-buses-opens-up-the-patents/
Since the distance of most bus stops are within 2-3 miles if this fast chargers are installed at all bus stops, it can charge a bus while it stops to let passengers in and out. Since most stops will be about 1 minutes or a little longer, the fast charger can add 3 miles(or more) of juice to the battery and this is enough for the bus to get to the next stop. This will enable the battery bus to run all day without stopping for hours to recharge its' battery. Please note that this fast charger is for city bus, not long distance bus.
Some will say that since electric can be generated from a dirty coal power plant, this battery bus or any other BEV will pollute the air more than an ICE vehicle(and diesel bus), a cheated diesel from VW will be better for environment.
Please, this thread isn't about dirty coal power plant or some other dirty power plant somewhere in the world, this thread is about the convenience and fast of a new super-fast charger for battery electric bus.
NOTE: Proterra is an American company with headquarter in California, not in China. They have manufacturing plants in So Cal and in South Carolina, none in China.
