Proterra, the developer of heavy-duty battery electric vehicles and charging systems, introduced new high-power charging options to make a 100 percent electric bus fleet more easily achievable.
At the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Bus & Paratransit Conference, Proterra introduced new systems for reliable, smarter EV charging that are flexible, scalable, and powerful.
To supply the best charging options for the industry, Proterra is introducing a new suite of high power DC chargers that comply with these standards. The three new Proterra® Power Control Systems range from 60kW-500kW and are compatible with J1772 CCS plug-in as well as J3105 inverted and roof-mounted overhead charging systems. The chargers will also utilize de facto industry-standard for communication, Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP 1.6).
Proterra’s new charging systems are capable of bi-directional, vehicle-to-grid power flow (V2G), enabling the chargers to be smart-grid ready to maximize the energy management capability of an entire bus fleet. Powering up a Catalyst bus is now as simple as connecting to a Proterra charger or other standards-based charging system.
Standardized EV charging will inform future infrastructure decisions and fleet-wide electrification strategies. Proterra’s new charging systems can charge transit fleets today and well into the future, with a range of power levels that can easily scale as infrastructure needs grow, both in-depot and on-route. The Proterra 60kW Power Control System is ideal for fleets with longer available charge times at the depot.
Recharge time is approximately six hours for an E2 Catalyst utilizing a J1772-CCS plug-in connection. Fleets with high uptime requirements will benefit most from the Proterra 125kW Power Control System. Operators can simply plug in the charger to achieve a full charge in under three hours at the depot, with a standard E2 battery configuration. The 500kW Power Control System works best for fleets with extended operating hours and high mileage requirements, such as 24-hour circulators. This 500kW system delivers fast overhead charging on-route or at the depot, utilizing the J3105 overhead connection standard, and can recharge up to 38 miles in 10 minutes, depending on battery configuration.
New pantograph-style options will join Proterra’s available charging solutions for overhead charging. Proterra is collaborating with Schunk Carbon Technology, a world-class developer of overhead charging hardware for battery-electric vehicles, to introduce these new systems to its customers.
Proterra and Schunk Carbon Technology will work together to further develop standards-based, lightweight, state-of-the-art, scalable fleet charging infrastructure for on-route or in-depot charging, that can flexibly support dozens to hundreds to thousands of heavy-duty electric vehicles, utilizing standard overhead pantograph systems offered by Schunk Carbon Technology.