Hitachi Energy successfully deploys first centralized EV bus charging system for Quebec City's public transit agency, Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC)

Grid-eMotion® Fleet EV charging system powers RTC pilot of electric buses in preparation for the shift to all-electric public transit in Quebec City

Montreal, Quebec, October 4, 2023 – Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all, has successfully deployed a centralized, multi-vehicle electric bus charging solution for RTC, the public transit agency in the greater Quebec City area. The technology was selected to be tested as part of a pilot project in 2022 following a call for tender won by Hitachi Energy. The three-year project represents an important step toward the ultimate electrification of the RTC’s entire bus fleet and infrastructure. The pilot is also providing valuable data on the best strategies for charging large numbers of vehicles.

The technology selected for the pilot is Hitachi Energy’s Grid-eMotion® Fleet solution, an integrated charging system that can deliver multi-megawatt level charging capabilities tailored to the demanding requirements of urban bus fleets. The system requires 60 percent less space than conventional charging systems and a 40 percent decrease in required depot cabling. This industry-leading grid-to-plug solution has been deployed in sustainable transport projects at some of the biggest urban bus systems in the world, including London, UK, Västerås, Sweden, and Brisbane, Australia.

The project supports the Quebec provincial government's plan to electrify 55 percent of its urban buses and 65 percent of its school buses by 2030, a critical objective in Canada, where transportation accounts for about a quarter of total greenhouse gas emissions.    

"Hitachi Energy is proud to support the RTC energy transition through our Grid-eMotion Fleet pilot deployment. This project offers a great opportunity to demonstrate how charging systems designed specifically for fleets can play a critical role in transitioning our urban transit systems to fully electric operations," said Alireza Aram, Managing Director, Grid Integration North America, Hitachi Energy. "This exciting project is enabling us to explore different approaches to EV fleet charging in a real-world environment, gathering data that can be applied with public transit agencies around the world."

One of the key goals of the project is to explore different fleet charging strategies in an active bus terminal, including traditional plugs, as well as overhead pantograph systems. Typically, bus terminals in urban environments are space-constrained and were not designed for electric buses, which require compact, scalable, and space-saving systems. Hitachi Energy’s Grid-eMotion Fleet technology can provide public transit agencies with much-needed flexibility to address the unique needs of each facility. Hitachi Energy’s solution has been tested at RTC’s Metrobus Center and is expected to run at full capacity in 2024.

About Grid-eMotion

Grid-eMotion comprises two unique, innovative solutions - Fleet and Flash. Grid-eMotion Fleet is a grid-code-compliant and space-saving grid-to-plug charging solution that can be installed in new and existing bus depots. The charging solution can be scaled flexibly as the fleet gets bigger and greener. It includes different charging point configurations and a robust and compact grid connection directly at the distribution voltage level. The system is also available for commercial vehicle fleets, including last-mile delivery and heavy-duty trucks that require high-power charging of several megawatts. Grid-eMotion Flash enables operators to flash-charge buses within seconds at passenger stops and fully recharge within minutes at the route terminus without interrupting the bus schedule.

Both solutions are equipped with configurable smart charging digital platforms that can be embedded with larger fleet and energy management systems. Additional offerings from Hitachi Energy for EV charging systems consist of e-mesh™ energy management and optimization solutions and Lumada APM, EAM and FSM solutions to help transportation operators make informed decisions that maximize their uptime and improve efficiency.