Electric vehicles and clean fuels in public transport and urban fleets

Summary

Three pilots were carried out in order to evaluate the performance of electric buses in the Madeira Region, and an eco-drive system was tested including a fault predictive monitoring solution, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and a photovoltaic system to supply onboard energy demand. The aim was to evaluate energy efficiency solutions towards a more sustainable PT fleet.

Implementing sustainable mobility

Demonstration programme for electric or hybrid vehicles in public transport fleets

Three pilot tests with different electric bus models have taken place in the Madeira Region. One with a standard electric bus in 2017, one with an electric minibus in 2018 and 2019, and one in 2020 with a medium size electric bus. The demonstration programme allowed the PT operators to test the buses in various services, verifying, their technical, energy and environmental feasibility. At the end, five mini electric buses were acquired with the support of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).  They are now operating in Funchal's city centre.

Eco-driving programme

An eco-driving system was installed in 20 buses of HF’s fleet in 2018, monitoring several driving parameters, including fuel consumption. Bus drivers received training for the system aiming to optimise their driving performance.

Tyre pressure monitoring system in service

In operating since May 2018, this solution brought significant benefits as the operation, driving safety and efficiency are directly related to the condition of the tyres. In overall, by monitoring in real-time the state of the tyres, the system helped to reduce costs, increase energy efficiency, and increase driving and vehicle safety.

Predictive analysis of potential bus faults

In 2019, a predictive solution was installed in 41 buses for collecting and securely streaming high-volume vehicle data in real-time. The solution allowed: early fault detection enabling reduced vehicle downtime and better operational predictability; real-time monitoring of the remaining lifespan of parts and systems; and reduced repair and maintenance costs. The first results showed that the tool is useful for vehicle maintenance, preventing more serious breakdowns.

Photovoltaic (PV) support system development and demonstration

PV panels were installed on the rooftop of 2 buses. The solar energy collected powered the electric onboard equipment and charged their batteries, thus preventing potential motor overload induced by alternators to produce electric energy and reduced fuel consumption.

More information

• Measure evaluation report of May 2021
• Demonstration report of e.City Gold Electric Bus in the Autonomous Region of Madeira - PDF
• Demonstration report of Karsan Jest Electric Bus in the Autonomous Region of Madeira - PDF
• Demonstration report of Karsan Atak Electric Bus in the Autonomous Region of Madeira - PDF

Videos:

• Demonstration of  e.City Gold Electric Bus in the Autonomous Region of Madeira: short version | long version  (EN subtitles)
• Demonstration of Karsan Jest Electric Bus in the Autonomous Region of Madeira | link video

Outcomes

• Less pollution – Reduction of 33 t of CO2 emissions by September 2020 compared to 2017.
• Less energy consumption – Saving of 101 MWh fuel equivalent by September 2020 compared to 2017.
• Use of cleaner and alternative fuels – Use of 12 MWh from RES for the PT fleet by September 2020 compared to 2017.
• Decrease in the maintenance costs – Reduction of 1% between 2017 and 2019.
• Improvement of the quality of driving - Increase of 4% between 2017 and 2019.
• Decrease of the operating costs with the 5 mini electric buses - Decrease of 55% of the operating costs compared to diesel buses during September, October and November 2019