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Optibus looks to assist operators in electric bus integration

Posted: 5 March 2018 | | No comments yet

Optibus’ new technology enables transport operators to simply and quickly integrate electric vehicles into their fleet without logistical challenges or extreme costs…

Optibus looks to assist operators in electric bus integration

Optibus has announced the launch of OnSchedule EV, a solution for the rapid and efficient deployment of electric buses. This will assist transportation operators in addressing the challenges of integrating electric buses into their existing fleets.

Cities introducing electric buses into their fleets face significant logistical challenges – including time and frequency of charging and range. For example, a diesel bus takes on average five minutes to refuel and can travel over 135 miles on a single fuel. An electric bus, however, takes approximately three hours to charge and may need to be charged at least twice a day to complete the same distance.

“It’s not as simple as taking a diesel bus off the road and replacing it with a shiny new electric one,” said Amos Haggiag, co-Founder and CEO of Optibus. “Cities want to run more electric buses but are unable to implement them as fast as they would like. Municipalities and transit operators find themselves ill-equipped to address these new requirements as their existing planning methods are outdated and often manual.”

OnSchedule EV ensures that operators receive the benefits of reduced capital and operational costs by optimising battery charging times and locations. The algorithms factor in unlimited types of batteries, chargers and charging locations; creating an optimal battery usage for fleets.

The solution will integrate electric buses into the existing routes and schedules without impacting drivers or passengers and will complement the existing transportation plan without any additional installation or IT resources.

“Electric buses and autonomous vehicles will rapidly change the transportation industry and scheduling systems will have to undergo a technological overhaul to quickly adapt and take advantage of these new innovations. With our cloud based solution, municipalities and mass transport operators can optimise their planning and operations, while using the latest technologies to enable a seamless integration of EVs into existing fleets,” continued Haggiag.

Professor Avishai Ceder, Founder of the Transportation Research Centre, also commented: “We’re entering a new era of mobility, where new technologies are serving the transformation of public transportation. Electric buses are expected to become the standard within a few years due to their low-emission advantage. Optibus is the link that helps traditional and conservative transit companies make the leap to the future in a smooth and cost-effective way.”

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