Arriva London recently replaced half of the 44 double-decker buses at its Brixton Tramshed depot in south London with new electric vehicles. The original Tramshed at Brixton dates back to 1892, has limited space and structurally does not support overhead charging infrastructure. With a traditional charging solution, Arriva would lose seven parking spaces, a sixth of the depot’s allocation, and be unable to charge all the vehicles overnight. It therefore needed to find a more compact and scalable solution using the minimal amount of charging infrastructure, fitting into the limited space available and which could be easily extended when the rest of the fleet turns electric.
Zenobē, Arriva’s solution provider to electrify its Brixton Tramshed depot, chose Hitachi Energy’s Grid-eMotion, a complete grid-to-plug smart charging solution for bus and commercial vehicle fleets. Grid-eMotion Fleet connects to any type of power network, be it AC, DC, low or medium voltage, to offer a seamless charging system with a wide choice of charging interfaces. Ideal for urban bus depots with associated space constraints, it comprises a modular high-powered charging system and grid connection within a very compact footprint. Hitachi says the system requires up to 60% less space and 40% less cabling than alternative solutions.
Hitachi explained that the system uses DC charging technology, which is much more compact than AC, has slimline charging pedestals, each of which charges two vehicles, and that the modules can be housed either in one cabinet or placed separately wherever there is space.
Overall solution provider Zenobē financed the solution and provided Arriva with smart charging software and a risk-free battery replacement agreement. “We’re proud to have partnered with Arriva and found solutions to several constraints to electrify the Brixton depot,” said Steven Meersman, Zenobē Co-founder and Director. “The 22 e-buses in operation are now helping to clean the local air and tackle climate change.”
“We are honored to have delivered our uniquely compact smart fleet-charging infrastructure to help make London’s iconic double-decker buses emission-free,” commented Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy’s Grid Integration business. “As an e-mobility technology leader, we are committed to accelerate the electrification of transport to enable cities and countries to meet their net-zero emission targets.”
