Geneva, Switzerland may soon revolutionize public transport in urban areas with its TOSA charging station.
TOSA (Trolleybus Optimisation Système Alimentation) is designed to literally cut the cables associated with electric buses. The system was developed by ABB Group, a Zurich-based company. The TOSA system is placed along an electric bus' route, around every third or fourth stop. When the bus is stopped and passengers are getting on and off, the arm on the TOSA lines up with the charging pod on the roof (a laser guidance system is used.) The arm shoots a 15-second burst good for 400 kilowatts of energy.
The bus batteries are charged periodically throughout its route, and a full recharge takes only three to four minutes once the route is completed. The TOSA charging station is powered entirely by hydroelectricity, making the system free of emissions.
Rapid Electric Bus Chargers
The TOSA Charging Station Cuts the Cord for Electric Buses
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