Selection of Charging Technology for Electric Bus Fleets in Intra-city Public Transport in India

Successful roll-out of an electric bus fleet for public transport in a city hinges on careful planning of charging infrastructure. The paper deals with selection of appropriate charging technology (EVSE) for electric bus fleets for intra-city public transport in Indian cities. The paper presents a review of the key features of the bus transport network in Tier-I and Tier-II cities in India and attempts to develop a model set of e-bus specifications for intra-city operations. It is followed by an examination of the charging technologies currently available in the market. The charging technologies are studied in detail to determine the best charging options for electric buses. The study highlights the importance of maintaining the service level after electrification by selecting electric bus of suitable capacity. The study finds that an intra city public bus fleet can be charged at depots during fleet operating hours and overnight. The study reveals that en-route charging of buses is not necessary in the case of intra-city bus operation in view of the average route-length. The investigation infers that out of the charging options, charging by DC plug-in, DC pantograph or AC plug-in is suitable to charge an e-bus fleet at a depot post completion of trips.