Siemens to provide charging solutions for e-buses in Ostrava (Czech Republic)

E-buses in Ostrava (Czech Republic) will rely on Siemens charging infrastructure. Ostrava Transit Authority has in fact turned to the German group concerning the supply of charging stations for 24 electric buses that have been commissioned to Solaris. The order includes a software to automatically adapt the charging processes to the bus schedules and to optimize energy consumption. Operations are scheduled to start in mid-2022.

Siemens Smart Infrastructure solutions for Ostrava

Siemens Smart Infrastructure will provide a charging solution for Dopravní podnik Ostrava (Ostrava Transit Authority), which will expand its fleet with 24 Solaris electric buses. The largest order for electric buses in the Czech Republic to date will include four Sicharge UC charging stations from Siemens. These high-power chargers provide an effective maximum of 400 kW each. Furthermore, Siemens will deliver 28 mobile chargers, electrical infrastructure as well as energy automation software.

Siemens will install charging points for electric buses at the Hranečník terminal and in Valchařská Street in the center of Ostrava. One Sicharge UC fast charger with a top-down pantograph will be installed at Hranečník, and three Sicharge UC fast chargers, each in combination with a top-down pantograph, will be installed at Valchařská. These chargers offer a maximum DC output of 500 A at up to 1000 V. Simatic S7 units control their reliable and optimized operation. All charging points will be equipped with a surveillance camera system and will run on a self-service basis. They are expected to charge the first eBuses by next summer.

A Siemens microgrid control application for e-buses 

A Siemens microgrid control application will also be deployed to measure and transmit charging data to the transport operator’s systems for energy management as well as operations planning. This will allow remote and automatic control of the charging process according to the bus schedules, and it will be possible to change the charging output depending on the energy available.

Siemens will also supply one 800 kVA and two 1,250 kVA dry type medium-voltage transformers to connect the charging points to the grid as well as medium-voltage switchgear, including a Siemens GIS, type 8DJH. 

28 mobile chargers, each with an output of 22.5 kW, will be used for charging overnight or in a service garage, thus balancing the output and maintaining the eBus fleet operation. The Siemens delivery also includes project management, construction and assembly work, commissioning as well as preventive and corrective maintenance.

Ostrava, e-mobility in public transport

“The use of electromobility in mass transportation is a fundamental step towards improving the air quality in the urban agglomeration. With our advanced digital technologies, we contribute to the economical and reliable operation of eBuses in Ostrava,” said Tomáš Hüner, head of Siemens Smart Infrastructure in the Czech Republic. 

“The need for reliable, cost-efficient and zero-emission mass transportation in Ostrava is perhaps higher than in other Czech cities,” said Daniel Morys, general director and board chairman of Dopravní podnik Ostrava a.s. “Clean air is an essential indicator of the quality of life. Therefore, I believe that passengers will appreciate our efforts towards a cleaner Ostrava and support us in the further expansion of electromobility.”