Swiss city of Bern and ABB Achieve New Milestone with E-bus Route

ABB technology helps BERNMOBIL towards its ambitious goals for carbon-neutral operations

A pioneering electric bus project in Switzerland’s capital, Bern, underlines the country’s position as a leader in e-mobility and sustainable transportation.

The buses on line 17 of BERNMOBIL’s network use the ‘opportunity charging’ or ‘OppCharge’ system to run solely with electric power, in the process saving 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. 

Nissan e.dams driver and ABB Formula E ambassador Sébastien Buemi in BERNMOBIL e-bus 17

Thanks to ABB’s charging stations and drive technology, BERNMOBIL’s five e-buses, which entered service last December, are able to run from Bern’s main train station without overhead power lines, needing only a single charge at their final stop – K?niz Weiermatt. Each charge takes around five minutes, during which a pantograph descends from the charging station, connects to rails on the bus roof and charges the battery with 450 kW. In addition, the vehicles receive a 50kW overnight charge in their depot.

Robert Itschner, Country Managing Director, ABB Switzerland, said “ABB has already made many innovations and initiatives in electromobility possible with its solutions, in Switzerland and across the world. We are proud to contribute to another pioneering project that represents a new milestone in the development of electromobility in our country. We are particularly pleased that it has been introduced in Bern, where the ABB Formula E Swiss E-Prix will be held this week.”

Bern’s OppCharge buses will operate for a four-year trial period where they have replaced the non-electric vehicles previously used. The new lighTram19OPP electric articulated models, built by Swiss vehicle manufacturer, HESS, are developed from an existing trolley bus design and each uses two ABB electric motors and a traction converter, developed at ABB’s Turgi factory.

                            ABB’s charging station OppCharge