VAG Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft (VAG) is planning to fully electrify its bus fleet by the early 2030s. To achieve this goal, the Schweinau bus depot needed to be expanded and modernized. The charging infrastructure was to be increased to 63 charging points; as additional space was not available due to adjacent buildings. The project was implemented during ongoing operations.
The reconstruction during ongoing bus operations required precise planning and coordination of all partners involved to not impair the operation of the bus depot. In order to create additional charging options for electric buses, the grid connection was extended. Heliox erected a two-story technical building with four transformers, which includes a medium-voltage switchgear, transformers and four low-voltage main distribution boards.
A canopy was added to the parking garage, under which up to 24 additional buses can be parked. Heliox has installed 32 Flex 180 kW power units on the canopy. Charging outlets were installed under the canopy and under the ceiling of the parking garage. The power can be dynamically distributed between two charging points via the Heliox dispenser cabinet.
Due to its nearby residential area, noise protection was essential, so the chargers and the technical building were encased. The cables between the technical building and the charging points were routed through storage ducts to ensure fire protection. Several fire protection walls were installed in the storage hall.
The expansion of photovoltaics and a green roof on the storage hall and the canopy are planned.
VAG currently operates over 200 buses in Nuremberg, 92 of which are already electric buses that are charged overnight at the site. Buses from MAN, Daimler and Solaris are in use. In this project, 32 chargers with a total of 63 charging points with a total output of 5.8 MW were installed. A VAG city bus covers around 60,000 kilometers per year. According to VAG's calculations, the potential for climate protection is correspondingly high - around 60 tons of CO2 savings per vehicle and year.
Heliox and TU/e aim to develop an integrated solution that makes charging heavy electric vehicles accessible without negative consequences for local electricity networks. Together, we want to achieve this by developing and demonstrating a new, multiple and dynamic charging system for heavy electric vehicles that is equipped with software-controlled stabilization to absorb disturbances on the local energy grid.
The intended system will consist of a dynamically configurable charging system based on modules that can be connected in parallel, each with three 60 kW outputs. With this they want to be able to distribute the loading capacity dynamically over several vehicles. The charging system can therefore be used for opportunity charging up to 360 kW for a single vehicle as well as for regular charging of several vehicles.
In addition, smart software and a microcontroller board are being developed. The converter of the charging system can be used via this software to compensate for grid disturbances. The disturbances are neutralized via a low impedance path. This allows losses on the grid to be converted into usable energy, while improving the voltage quality of the grid. In fact, the system completely takes over the function of current power filters on the basis of smart control.
VAG Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft (VAG) is planning to fully electrify its bus fleet by the early 2030s. To achieve this goal, the Schweinau bus depot needed to be expanded and modernized. The charging infrastructure was to be increased to 63 charging points; as additional space was not available due to adjacent buildings. The project was implemented during ongoing operations.
The reconstruction during ongoing bus operations required precise planning and coordination of all partners involved to not impair the operation of the bus depot. In order to create additional charging options for electric buses, the grid connection was extended. Heliox erected a two-story technical building with four transformers, which includes a medium-voltage switchgear, transformers and four low-voltage main distribution boards.
A canopy was added to the parking garage, under which up to 24 additional buses can be parked. Heliox has installed 32 Flex 180 kW power units on the canopy. Charging outlets were installed under the canopy and under the ceiling of the parking garage. The power can be dynamically distributed between two charging points via the Heliox dispenser cabinet.
Due to its nearby residential area, noise protection was essential, so the chargers and the technical building were encased. The cables between the technical building and the charging points were routed through storage ducts to ensure fire protection. Several fire protection walls were installed in the storage hall.
The expansion of photovoltaics and a green roof on the storage hall and the canopy are planned.
VAG currently operates over 200 buses in Nuremberg, 92 of which are already electric buses that are charged overnight at the site. Buses from MAN, Daimler and Solaris are in use. In this project, 32 chargers with a total of 63 charging points with a total output of 5.8 MW were installed. A VAG city bus covers around 60,000 kilometers per year. According to VAG's calculations, the potential for climate protection is correspondingly high - around 60 tons of CO2 savings per vehicle and year.
.png)