Geneva will soon show the world how electric vehicle charging should be done following the announcement of a rollout of new electric buses and ‘flash-charging’ stations.
The city’s public transport network has awarded a $16 million contract to ABB to build a network of charging stations which will power buses on a new route in the city, running from Geneva‘s airport to a new suburb dubbed Praille-Acacias-Vernet.
Along the route will be 13 ‘flash-charging’ stations. When the bus stops at these stations to pick up and drop off passengers, it will also automatically charge itself for just 15 seconds, providing it with enough power to reach the next charging station. Thanks to the 600 kWh chargers (five times faster than Tesla’s), the buses will be able to fully recharge in just five minutes at the end of the line.
When the stations are up and running, carbon dioxide emissions will be slashed by up to 1,000 tons per year compared to more traditional diesel buses.
In a statement, ABB said “We are proud of this breakthrough technology to support Geneva’s vision of providing a silent and zero-emission urban mass transportation for the city. It provides a model for future urban transport and reinforces our vision of sustainable mobility for a better world. As part of our Next Level strategy, we are committed to developing customer-focused solutions and technologies that help lower environmental impact.”
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