Environmentally Friendly Electric Buses in Vienna

The transportation authorities are now planning to operate two lines exclusively with eBuses by the middle of 2013. During the Skiing World Championships in Schladming, Austria, one of these electric buses transported around 6,000 passengers and logged more than 1,000 completely emission-free kilometers.

This electric bus was part of the environmental concept for the big event because it is emission-free, extremely quiet, and, by comparison to a conventional diesel powered bus, used significantly less energy. The buses were recharged overnight in Schladming.

For regularly scheduled service in Vienna the vehicles also have the latest charging technology. Their energy stores can be recharged in less than 15 minutes. At the end stations the buses use an extendable pantograph to connect to the electrical supply for the Viennese tram system.

Using this recharging technique it is possible to install a smaller battery system and at the same time save on investments in infrastructure. And thanks to their regenerative braking systems the electric buses can also recover energy. As soon as the driver takes his foot from the accelerator the energy recovery system is activated.

The drive system in these buses is significantly more efficient than a conventional diesel powertrain. Nine lithium iron phosphate batteries with a total capacity of 96 kilowatt hours supply the motor – through an IGBT power inverter that converts direct current to alternating current – with enough energy for up to 150 kilometers.

The batteries supply not only the drive system but also all of the onboard electronics, the heating, and the air conditioning.

Electric buses make a crucial contribution to protecting the environment and make our inner cities better places to live – and at the same time they have lower operating costs than diesel buses.