 "Electric vehicles in India has significant growth potential: N Venu")
On July 15 this year, the Zurich (Switzerland) headquartered ABB Group bagged its first order for the breakthrough 15-second flash charging technology used for electric vehicle from Geneva's public transport operator and Swiss bus manufacturer HESS. With India drawing up a plan to become a 100 per cent electric vehicle country by 2030, this technology, which requires no overhead lines, has the potential to offer revolutionary solution for charging electric vehicles. In fact, during his recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ABB’s global CEO Dr Ulrich Spiesshofer discussed the topic of electric mobility.
In this interview with Rakesh Rao, N Venu, lead division manager, Middle East, South Asia and Africa, Power Grids of ABB Group, discusses the significance of this flash charging technology to India, which is targeting to implement sustainable transportation solutions by focusing on electric mobility.
What is the significance of ABB's 15-second flash charging technology for the global electrical vehicle industry?
Development of innovative urban transport solutions remains key for sustainable growth of global megacities. Our latest breakthrough has the potential to transform the face of the urban public transportation system. It is the world’s fastest flash-charging connection technology taking less than 1 second to connect the bus to the charging point. The onboard batteries can then be charged in 15 seconds with a 600-kilowatt boost of power at the bus stop. The charging time is so quick that it does not interfere with the bus schedule and the lack of overhead lines improves the urban environment. A further 4 to 5 minute charge at the terminus at the end of the line enables a full recharge of the batteries. This will enable the vehicles to stay in service without needing a time out to recharge, providing greater route flexibility. ABB’s revolutionary technology could catalyse silent, zero-emission electric urban mass transit across major cities.
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Is this technology suited for only public transport system? Are you targeting private vehicle owners as well for this technology?
Technologies are transferrable and tend to have cascading effect on related sub-segments. While urban transit is the early adopter market for this advanced technology, it is likely that it will be shared by other vehicles in the near future. We have developed and proven the technology and now it is being deployed commercially. This is a significant step for sustainable mobility. The concept is flexible and can be adapted for a wide range of applications regardless of public or private ownership.
Is this technology cost-effective? How does it benefit the user?
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This varies based on configuration and operational parameters so there is no absolute answer. TOSA (Trolleybus Optimisation Systeme Alimentation) makes sense not only from an ecological point of view but also from a commercial one. The primary advantage of an electric vehicle over diesel buses from the economical point of view is the savings in diesel fuel costs over its lifetime. When compared to a trolley bus, the cost of a TOSA bus is higher due to the batteries, but if we consider the total cost of ownership (TCO), TOSA works out cheaper than trolley buses because of savings on the overhead lines in terms of both capital investment and maintenance.
The TOSA concept prioritises efficiency and this implies smaller onboard batteries and a lighter more energy-efficient bus, allowing for a higher passenger capacity. The opportunity-charging principle minimises infrastructure investments while ensuring optimal and safe operation and also permitting higher flexibility in route layout and integration with other public transport systems including tramways.
What are your plans to launch this technology globally?
With diesel buses becoming increasingly less attractive, both financially and from an emissions point of view, several cities across the world have deployed or have plans to deploy electric buses. However, to enable full scale implementation, getting charging infrastructure ready would be the next big step. City planners are seeking an attractive modern form of transportation without having to hang wires in the street and TOSA is well situated to offer an alternative to existing trolley bus routes and urban diesel routes across many parts of the world. ABB has signed the first such commercial order in Geneva for flash charging infrastructure, and this technology is available globally.
In April 2015, the Indian government launched scheme of Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles in India (FAME India). What this means to the growth of electrical vehicle industry in India?
This is a good initiative and if supported by associated actions would help set-up the charging infrastructure as well as enable smaller companies and entrepreneurs to innovate and manufacture mobility solutions for the Indian market. It will also incentivise people and provide confidence to own and operate electric vehicles.
How optimistic are you about the electric vehicle market in India?
Balancing infrastructure growth with sustainability would be a prime focus for India. The deployment of electric vehicles in India, including buses has significant growth potential as the country accelerates its efforts to decouple growth from carbon emissions as per its global environmental commitments and implements its 'smart city' vision.
National Electric Mobility Mission 2020 ((NEMM 2020) and the FAME India program have been two important schemes by the government that are expected to drive this market. In fact, electric mobility was also a topic of discussion during a recent meeting that our global CEO Dr Ulrich Spiesshofer had with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
ABB has developed and demonstrated the effectiveness of the TOSA technology and now it is being deployed commercially with the Geneva success. It is a significant step for sustainable mobility and the technology solution is being made available globally. The concept is flexible and can be adapted for a wide range of applications. ABB’s TOSA technology offers a viable alternative to diesel buses and is relevant for India given the country’s focus on sustainable transportation solutions.
What are ABB's plans for tapping the evolving electric and hybrid vehicle segment in India? Is your EV charging technology presently available in India?
ABB is a global leader in EV charging solutions including an alliance with Microsoft for cloud based services. With Internet-based charging infrastructure, supporting all EV charging standards, ABB offers a total solution: specific charging solutions for any location type and connected services to enhance businesses. The chargers easily connect to any service or payment application. ABB's Internet connected chargers enable fast global service and pro-active maintenance. The company has years of experience in creating, installing and maintaining charging infrastructure, including several nationwide charger networks.
In India, as part of the NEMM 2020, there is an ambitious target to achieve 6-7 million sales of hybrid and electric vehicles year on year from 2020 onwards. While government aims to provide initial fiscal and monetary support, with ABB’s portfolio and technology solutions on EV charging, makes the company well positioned to work with various stakeholders and bring next level technologies to promote the growth in this sector.
ABB has tied up with IIT Madras for a battery engineering center working on storage solutions. What is the significance of this project to ABB and India?
This is a partnership not only for battery engineering but also for green projects and setting up two pilot microgrid projects with joint expertise. ABB will support research at IITM’s Battery Engineering Center, which will research and work to improve the life and discharge cycles of Lead-Acid to Lithium-Ion batteries for the next five years. This is crucial in a market like India as immediate applications range from telecom tower backups to grid ancillary services and renewable integration. In addition, the research has the scope of including storage solutions for electric vehicles (EVs), important in light of the recent push for multi-purpose electric vehicles.