Nidec ASI, part of the Energy & Infrastructure Division of the Nidec Group – a group committed to relaunching the world of transport and logistics with an eye to greater sustainability – is taking part in a test linked to the adoption of electric buses for public transport promoted by the city of Oradea, Romania. For one and a half months, Nidec is making an Ultra Fast Charger (UFC) station available at the bus terminal in front of its plant in Oradea.
Image Credit: Nidec ASI
Installation of this cutting-edge charging system will make it possible to test ultra-fast charging for public transport vehicles, an important step towards a more widespread diffusion of electric mobility in Romania, a pivotal aspect in promoting a sustainable development model. Official testing of the ultra-fast charging for buses took place on 30 July at an event attended by the mayor of Oradea, local authorities and representatives of Solaris, a leading European manufacturer of buses and trolleybuses, not least the supplier of the electric buses used in the experiment.
The Romanian government is investing heavily in going electric, especially in this delicate phase of recovery. In fact, it is within this context that the Municipality of Oradea has decided to launch this experiment involving the trial use of electric buses in the city over the next few months. Nidec ASI is taking part in this study, having been chosen as a partner, in particular to test the effectiveness of its UFC for the ultra-fast charging of heavy vehicles.
The Ultra Fast Charger - which can be developed locally - thanks to its efficient and modular technology will help lay the foundations for the spread of electric public transport and private vehicles in Romania, helping to make the vision of a green and sustainable future dominated by “all electric” technologies a reality. This vision is also reflected in the priorities of the Recovery Plan, which focuses on developing green infrastructures as an essential prerequisite for making mobility in Europe more sustainable.
This innovative solution developed by the Group in its Montebello Vicentino plant connects the charging points to the national electricity grid, minimizing their impact and simplifying and speeding up the process of electrification of infrastructures for powering electric cars and heavy vehicles, while at the same time reducing operating costs. The UFC is a highly-efficient solution, able to respond to the increased energy demand from charging points and the need to maintain maximum electrical grid stability, ensuring high levels of performance. In fact, it makes it possible to charge cars, buses and commercial vehicles producing 100% green energy and without drawing electricity directly from the grid, thus avoiding power peaks and resulting blackouts. The Ultra Fast Charger is fitted with a battery storage system and therefore acts as a “buffer” between the grid and the charging point.
It is the most advanced example of a new generation of ultra fast chargers, which can be connected to LV or MV grids and which, against an energy requirement of only 50 kW, can supply 320 kW of power to a vehicle or HGV. Thanks to this innovative system, the batteries of new-generation cars can be rapidly charged to 80% of their capacity in less than 15 minutes. Vehicles may be charged in parallel or in series and its compact size means it can provide a widespread distribution network to meet the needs of electric car market players. Nidec ASI also offers smart charge management applications, which ensure the efficient and optimal implementation of all charging points, even in the case of public use for buses or commercial vehicles.
Specifically, Nidec ASI will provide the Municipality of Oradea with a UFC Powersafe 1.0 with 2 battery packs equipped with a charging point with two 160kW outlets (or 320kW on single outlet) and respective certified meters.
“We are excited to be involved in this important experiment with the Municipality of Oradea and with Solaris, in which we will be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of our technology, in particular our UFC, even for high power needs. A test that illustrates how in Romania, as in Italy and many other European countries, a great deal of attention is being focused on sustainability and the evolution of electric mobility. Transformation has to come about through the widespread diffusion of ultra-fast charging systems, and we want to help steer this transformation by promoting the spread of the Ultra Fast Charger which can greatly accelerate the creation of an efficient and advanced charging infrastructure. I am particularly proud that the city of Oradea has chosen our know-how and solutions to test the fast charging of heavy vehicles. We hope that the example set by the Municipality of Oradea will inspire other cities in Europe and Italy, helping to revolutionize mobility as we know it today and providing a solution to the increasingly urgent need to reduce pollution and noise in urban centers,” said Dominique Llonch, CEO of Nidec ASI and Chairman of Nidec Industrial Solutions.
With numerous projects already in the pipeline and currently under development, the Nidec ASI UFC is destined to become increasingly common on European roads and represents a safe and reliable ally for the green transport revolution. For years the Group has been providing solutions for charging electric buses and has already installed an Ultra Fast Charger in Benevento, Italy, and is working on the installation of other charging points in France and Germany. Nidec ASI is also totally committed to this mission through the on-going evolutionary process within the group itself, which involves renewing the company fleet, making it 100% electric, and installing two UFCs at its Milan and Montebello offices for its own use.
The Group is fully-active in the world of mobility, and has also been creating ropeway systems for over forty years with the goal of making them an increasingly-utilized system of public transport, while also supplying systems for passenger transport via tram/trolley. Nidec ASI also promotes a greener and more sustainable maritime transport with shore-to-ship systems built in Italy, France and Malta that provide an electrical power supply for docked ships, as well as important initiatives such as the supply of storage battery systems for on-board energy for full-electric and hybrid cargo ships, ferries and yachts.