More public transportation vehicles like buses are shifting to electric, which is great news for the environment, but still leaves bus operators with some range anxiety—the fear of running out of power prior to finishing a route. The concern is understandable as a disrupted route can delay service and leave passengers unhappy.
There’s no shortage of reasons why bus operators lack peace of mind driving an electric vehicle, according to Clever Devices, a public transportation technology provider. Limited range is one of the biggest detractors. Electric buses typically cannot travel as far as gasoline-powered vehicles without needing to recharge. Bus operators who have to travel further distances are likely concerned about whether or not they have enough power to make every stop on their route.
The lack of sufficient electric vehicle charging infrastructure also concerns commercial EV drivers, according to Clear Devices. The number of fleet charging stations is growing, but there still aren’t enough for an electric bus operator to feel confident that one will be available if they need one. There’s also the time factor—it can take a while to power up a vehicle as large as a bus, leaving drivers to wonder if their vehicle can be charged in enough time to start their route.
Meanwhile, bus routes are usually consistent, but construction, a car accident or traffic buildup could force an electric bus operator to take a different path. If the new route includes more miles than the standard one, range anxiety could kick in due to not knowing if the bus is powered up enough to cover the extra distance.
How to reduce range anxiety for electric bus operators
Until the perception around EVs changes, range anxiety is going to exist—especially for commercial EV drivers. One way to help eliminate range anxiety is to give electric bus operators peace of mind knowing that they’ll be able to charge their vehicle when needed. This begins with building out the EV charging infrastructure
“Governments and municipalities must invest in a robust and well-distributed charging network, ensuring electric buses have easy access to charging stations along their routes,” Clear Devices Vice President of Marketing wrote on the Clever Devices blog. “As this continues to build out, depot charging strategies that consider the next day's planned work for a specific vehicle and how much energy it will require can ensure that a bus has the precise level of charge needed to complete its next assignment.”
Meanwhile, smart route planning could help solve electric bus operators’ range anxiety when it comes to the aforementioned concerns around rerouting. Intelligent route planning software can optimize bus routes using real-time factors such as weather, traffic and EV fleet charging station availability.
Giving bus operators critical information can also help ease their range anxiety, according to Clever Devices. This includes having a display with charge status, how many miles left to complete the route and miles left until the battery’s depleted would give drivers confidence that their vehicle has enough power to finish the job.
Additionally, putting advanced battery management systems in electric buses that offer real-time data on battery status, usage, and performance could help transit agencies decide the best ways to limit their drivers’ range anxiety.
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