Qatari authorities have awarded ABB a contract to design, supply, test and commission high-power charging infrastructure for what is billed as one of the world’s largest fleet of electric buses. The contract will see ABB provide high power charging infrastructure for the fleet, which is expected to have 1,000 electric buses operating across the country and with a capacity to transport 50,000 passengers a day.
According to a statement from ABB, the move aligns with Qatar’s aim to have 25% of its public bus network operating on electric by 2022, rising to 100% by 2030. As part of this plan, the country will create one of the largest e-bus networks in the world, in a single installation.
Partnering with Mannai Trading Company, Qatar’s public works authority – Ashghal – and fleet operator – Mowasalat – ABB will design and deploy heavy vehicle charging equipment across multiple locations in Qatar including four bus depots, eight bus stations and 12 metro stations. The project scope also includes a three-year service level agreement, the statement explained.
ABB president (E-mobility) Frank Muehlon commented, “As part of ABB’s 2030 sustainability strategy, we are focused on helping fleets to unlock the potential of e-mobility with state of the art and intelligent charging solutions. As the world moves towards green bus fleets, our solutions are at the leading edge to help cities and regions around the world discover the value of electrification and how it can help us all transition to cleaner and greener transport solutions.”
For the project, ABB will supply over 125MW of charging capacity, 1,300 connectors for destination charging and 89 opportunity chargers, four of which will be mobile, the statement said.
Muehlon pointed out that with this charging solution, the complete Mowasalat electric bus fleet could be charged overnight at the depots and while in use without impacting regular operations, ensuring a fast and convenient charging experience for operators and passengers. As per the terms of the deal, ABB will also provide data connections and interfaces to connect and integrate the charging infrastructure operation into the Mowasalat Fleet Management System for 24/7 fleet optimisation.
Besides integration with the Fleet Management System, chargers will also be connected to the ABB Ability cloud to remotely monitor and diagnose the infrastructure by using more than 400 parameters. This complete solution maximises uptime and efficiency and ensures reliable infrastructure for the public, the statement explained.
Ashghal president Dr Saad Ahmed Ibrahim Al Mohannadi commented, “Qatar has taken impactful steps to combat climate change and promote sustainability. This includes a variety of local programmes and initiatives, including the introduction of green public transport solutions. In Qatar, we have set ambitious goals to reduce CO2 emissions and make a valuable global contribution to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The installation of e-mobility infrastructure in Qatar supports these global efforts. ABB was selected as a partner because it shares our vision for a greener future and has the expertise to support Qatar’s environmental and public transport targets. We look forward to the collaboration.”