(from left to right) Robert Itschner, Chairman of the Executive Board of ABB Switzerland; Stephan Attiger, Chair of the Aargau Cantonal Council; Dr. Lorenz Höchli, Chair of the Board of RVBW AG; Alex Naef, CEO of Carrosserie Hess AG
Today, the regional public transport operators of Baden-Wettingen (RVBW) have inaugurated four new HESS electric buses of the type lighTram® 12 OPP for route 5: Baden, Baldegg – Ennetbaden, Äusserer Berg. The 12-metre long buses were constructed by HESS entirely in their main factory in Bellach. ABB supplied the electric drive units with energy storage and charging solutions. The drive units are supplied with renewable energy by Regionalwerke AG Baden (RWB) from regional hydroelectric power.
In the presence of representatives from politics, the project partners and the media, another milestone was reached along the road to achieving climate-neutral bus operation by 2030. The four new emission-free and quiet vehicles will be gradually introduced on the route Baden, Baldegg – Ennetbaden, Äusserer Berg. “By switching to electric operation, we will save 155,000 litres of diesel fuel and 410 tonnes of CO2 per annum. In doing so, we are consistently pursuing our aim of driving forward a reduction in CO2 by switching to efficient vehicles with sustainable drive technologies in densely populated urban areas”, said Stefan Kalt, Director of RVBW. The Canton of Aargau is contributing to the costs for the charging infrastructure at the respective terminus stops.
The four lighTram®'s are four completely continuous low-floor buses with an overall length of 12 metres. With their attractive design, spacious standing areas and ergonomically designed driver’s consoles, these vehicles bring on to the road a new dimension in tyre-based passenger transport. Innovative energy management enables a lighter construction, and by mounting the energy storage system on the roof, up to 30% more passengers can be carried compared to conventional buses with diesel engines. The vehicles are heated purely electrically. The energy storage systems, which are manufactured by ABB in Baden, enable the recovery of braking energy and contribute to an improvement in the overall efficiency of the vehicle.
Thanks to the ‘opportunity charging’ concept, the energy storage systems can be charged with 300 kilowatts in two to four minutes during the scheduled waiting time at the terminal stops. ABB also supplied the charging stations for the complete overnight charging in the RVBW bus depot. “More than 100 years ago, our company from Baden contributed innovative solutions to more sustainable mobility”, said Robert Itschner, Chair of the Executive Board of ABB Switzerland. “And we are convinced that the future of urban transport is electric. We are pleased to be supporting RVBW on this path with our energy-efficient drive, charging and storage technologies.”
The local electricity supplier, Regionalwerke AG Baden, has also designed and installed the required high-performance charging infrastructure. One electric bus will be charged at each of the two terminus stops every 15 minutes. RWB has implemented measures to further ensure the network operation. At the Ennetbaden terminus, it was necessary to install a second transformer in the existing TS90 transformer station at Äusserer Berg. A direct connection from the transformer station was created for charging at the Baden-Baldegg terminus. To achieve this, supply cables were laid from the water tower to the charging station near the bus stop.
Press review
Press release (HESS/17.06.2021)Sauber und leise durch die Bäderstadt (ABB/17.06.2021)Jungfernfahrt in ein neues Zeitalter: Die Linie 5 der RVBW fährt jetzt voll elektrifiziert (Badener Tagblatt/17.06.2021)RVBW Buslinie 5 in Baden neu rein elektrisch (TIR/21.06.2021)
Mehr über das Projekt erfahren in der Fotostory: Countdown Elektrifizierung Linie 5
Video HESS Charging-Systems - OPP (Opportunity charging)