ABB puts the charge into world’s first 12-metre fully electric autonomous bus

The world’s first 12-metre fully electric, autonomous 40-seater bus was unveiled today at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore where two of ABB’s Heavy Vehicle Chargers (HVC) have been delivered to make this vision a reality.

The project is part of an ongoing collaboration between NTU, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Volvo Buses to develop autonomous bus technologies. This phase, which includes self-driving bus trials, demonstrates the ability to provide fixed route and scheduled services similar to existing public bus services in Singapore. ABB is a key industry partner of the project, helping Singapore to make another major step towards sustainable mobility.

ABB’s HVC 300P fast charging system delivers 300 kW DC power and will recharge a battery in three to six minutes. It is based on OppCharge, an open interface for DC electric bus charging, which is now being used in Singapore and across Asia Pacific. Using a pantograph mounted on the charging infrastructure for end-point charging, set up at a bus stop or depot, it allows buses to be charged at the end of the line, without impacting the normal operation of the route.

Tarak Mehta, President of Electrification Products division said: “ABB is at the forefront of developing smart and sustainable transportation solutions. We have pioneered the creation of flexible and high quality electric charging systems that enable the development of cleaner, more efficient and cost effective solutions. 

“We are delighted to be involved in this landmark project in Singapore and hope this will mark a positive step toward greater electrification of public transport solutions across the region, where traffic emissions have been identified as a major concern in fast-developing cities.”

One of the autonomous electric buses will be used at the Centre of Excellence for Testing and Research of Autonomous Vehicles (CETRAN) – Singapore’s advanced new test facility at the NTU campus – where researchers will test new functions and study how the bus interacts with other road-users. The second bus will be used for tests in a bus depot, in partnership with SMRT.

ABB: powering firsts for electric mobility

Firsts are deeply etched in ABB’s DNA, with an R&D culture that is continually advancing pioneering technologies. This is particularly evident in the field of electric mobility. ABB was one of the founders of both the CHAdeMO and CCS alliance charging standards, launched the first DC fast charger in 2010, the first nationwide DC charging networks in 2012 and the first eBus charging networks in Europe in 2016. Today, ABB’s is the world leader in electric vehicle infrastructure.

ABB offers the full range of charging solutions for electric cars, electric and hybrid buses as well as electrification solutions for ships and railways. ABB entered the EV-charging market back in 2010, and today has an ever-growing global installed base of 10,500 ABB DC fast chargers are now sold across 73 countries, more fast chargers than any other manufacturer. ABB’s installed base includes its Terra high power chargers, capable of adding 200km of range to an electric vehicle in just 8 minutes.

Fortune Magazine recently ranked ABB #8 on its list of companies that are “changing the world” for the advances it has made in e-mobility and electric vehicle charging. In its role as title partner of the ABB FIA Formula E championship and as Official Charging Partner for the new Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY series, ABB extends its commitment to support and expand the future of smart and sustainable transport.