Through a software platform that collected and analysed real-time data, the public transport operator Carris successfully reduced lost kilometres on its electric bus routes in Lisbon by 30%.
Lost kilometres refer to the distances covered by vehicles without passengers, whether due to transfers between terminals, operational manoeuvres, or waiting times for battery charging.
Their reduction has a direct impact on operational efficiency, running costs, and the service’s carbon footprint.
Following the pilot scheme led by the Barcelona-based think tank CARNET, Carris “expressed interest in expanding the solution.”
What does the project involve?
IMPULSE was designed to eliminate the technological and operational barriers hindering the adoption of electric buses in urban environments.
Its software platform integrates real-time data, considering battery status, charging infrastructure, and route planning.
In Lisbon, its implementation in a mixed fleet (diesel and electric) has enhanced the integration of telemetry and AVL systems.
As a result, the failure rate within the initial fleet of 15 eBuses decreased by 24% per 10,000 kilometres travelled.
Across the entire eBus fleet, the reduction was even more significant, with a 40% decline in faults.
These operational improvements facilitated the expansion of the electric fleet, increasing from 15 to 59 units in 2024.
Additionally, the environmental impact was positive, with an annual reduction of 3,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Meanwhile, in Istanbul, where the second pilot took place on the Princes’ Islands, the implementation was adapted to a smaller fleet without integrated telemetry.
In this case, the solution focused on manual data collection.
As a result of the pilot scheme, the distance covered by the buses deviated by only 0.71% from the expected figure.
The average delay remained at 135 seconds, demonstrating punctuality.
Furthermore, understanding of battery usage improved, allowing unnecessary recharging to be avoided.
The project was not without challenges
One of the primary obstacles faced by the project was the quality and availability of data.
Matteo Stoico and Marina Ojeda, Project Managers at CARNET, explain to Mobility Portal Europe that they encountered difficulties in gathering reliable information.
“To address this, automated data validation processes were implemented,” they state.
Additionally, the system experienced performance challenges due to high resource demand.
“We optimised database queries and prioritised critical tasks,” they add.
The integration of hardware with different vehicle models also posed a challenge.
“It was essential to ensure that the onboard unit was accessible to drivers without obstructing their visibility,” they note.
In the case of Istanbul, language barriers necessitated the development of interfaces and training materials in local languages.
Regarding the difference between a mixed fleet and a fully electric one, they explain that “the platform operated effectively in both scenarios, but in Lisbon, integration with telemetry systems enabled a 40% reduction in failures.”
In Istanbul, manual data collection demonstrated that the solution is also viable for fleets without advanced technological infrastructure.
A crucial aspect of the project has been the optimisation of energy consumption in eBuses.
Predictive charging management helped reduce service disruptions and improve the efficiency of charging cycles.
“Full charges are not always necessary to ensure the fleet’s operational continuity,” they assert.
IMPULSE is currently being evaluated for expansion into new cities.
Although the precise location of the next pilot has not been confirmed, Carris expressed interest in extending the use of the platform to additional vehicles.
Furthermore, opportunities have arisen in the Hungarian market, and other operators have shown curiosity about the results achieved.
SOH Fleet: Innovation in eBus battery management
Another parallel development in the optimisation of electric fleets is the SOH Fleet project, driven by CARNET, ACTIA Automotive, Keolis Blois, and Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB).
This system seeks to address battery condition management challenges, as the information provided by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) is often inaccessible or unreliable.
The project proposes a combination of a web application and the Internet of Things (IoT) with Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to estimate the state of health (SoH) of batteries in real time.
This solution is expected to reduce maintenance costs by 20% and extend battery lifespan by the same margin.
To validate its effectiveness, SOH Fleet is already being deployed in two cities: in Blois (France), where it is being tested on six Keolis buses, and in Barcelona (Spain), where it will be rolled out across ten TMB buses over 12 months.
The expectation is that this technology will help reduce CO2 emissions, enhance operational efficiency, and accelerate the transition towards fully electric fleets.
