Will the Busbaar V3 Revolutionize EV Public Transit?

Image © Opbrid

Is there a place for EV buses in the future of public transportation? Spanish company Opbrid seems to think so with the development of their new Busbaar V3.

The Busbaar V3 is designed to streamline the charging process for large public vehicles. The defining characteristic of the new technology is a pantagraph that connects to a copper bar on the roof of a bus. When a vehicle arrives underneath the Busbar, the pantagraph descends and attaches itself to the bus, thus initiating the charging process.

However, some would argue that technology like the one developed by Opbrid has been on the market for a few years. While this is true, the key distinction of the Busbaar V3 is that it is able to carry out the charging process in under five minutes.

The company has basically taken a Tesla fast-charging station and put it on steroids to create an even faster charging environment. Unlike Tesla’s fast chargers which charge at 120 kW, the Busbaar V3 charges at a whopping 650 kW, which is more than a five-fold increase! The use of lithium-titrate means batteries can charge faster and don’t degrade over time. Although these types of batteries feature lower energy densities, they are able to take up more space when deployed on a bus.  

So why will EV buses become increasingly prominent in the coming years?

With technology like the Busbaar V3 on the market, it is likely that transit authorities will increasingly embrace EV buses. With charge times of less than five minutes, busses can easily charge up at key stops on their route (or at the beginning or end). Furthermore, not only is electricity cheaper than fossil fuels in most jurisdictions, maintenance is easier and cheaper.

Of course, this doesn’t even account for the environmental benefits, which are probably the most important components of the equation. Cities are often looked to as leaders in sustainability, and having an all EV bus fleet would go a long way in reducing a municipality’s carbon footprint.

What are your thoughts on the Busbaar V3? Do you think it will help encourage the embrace of hybrid or all-electric bus fleets?

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