Baden Baden, the E80 satisfies: 'It is reliable in any situation'.

The E80 seems to meet the expectations of the administration and the local press in the pretty spa town of Baden-Baden in south-west Germany, as the following article by journalist Nico Fricke from the 'Badisches Tagblatt' newspaper suggests.

"Reliable even on steep stretches'

Baden-Baden - Rampini's E80 is still the first and, to date, only electric bus of the Baden-Baden public transport company. And let's be clear, it is very much appreciated: it has been providing regular passenger services for over a year and has fitted perfectly into the urban contest.

"The e-bus is appreciated by both drivers and customers", says rail traffic controller Patric Lainé, who gives an average overall assessment.

Although it has taken some time to get used to the new technology: "It may be that on Mondays it has a longer range than on Wednesdays", Lainé gives an example referring to the capacity of the integrated batteries. "Their duration varies depending on the weather conditions. And, unlike with diesel buses, these are factors to keep a particularly close eye on when planning shifts and schedules, Lainó explains.

The weather conditions on the electric bus were extreme at the time of the BT editor's visit: the sun was shining high in the sky, but the thermometer read minus seven degrees Celsius and there was ice and snow outside. Rampini must be proud of his vehicle's performance.

Sebastian Späth drives the bus to Oberbeuern: the noise emitted while driving is a gentle, pleasant hum. "Of course, light and heating consume the battery," says Lainé.

"And of course we have to gain experience with the new type of vehicle first," adds Jürgen Herr, head of the municipal services department responsible for the vehicle fleet.

"For us, it is important that the bus is put into a regular, full service cycle." Rampini's E80 has been in service for around a year, shortly before the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, i.e. at a time when the subject of climate protection was still dominating political and topical interests. "Slowly we managed to incorporate it into our regular transport activities and trained almost all the drivers," says Herr.

Since early summer last year, the E80 has been part of the vehicle fleet and is used almost every day: "Especially on route 208, our tourist route in the city, for which we have preferred to use this type of vehicle", says Lainé. And in the evening hours, the e-bus also provides support services for the 205 line. The electric vehicle and battery capacity are tested on the uphill and downhill stretches.

The bus travels 208 kilometres a day, and Herr says the vehicle has covered around 35,600 kilometres since it was commissioned. "This year we will reach around 50,000 kilometres. This is a good result. "Depending on the season, energy consumption varies between 80 and 110 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometres.

A new E-Bus is being tested in Mürz.

"Of course, drivers have to keep a constant eye on the state of charge display," Lainé points out, and also admits: "Sometimes you get a little nervous." But "no one has yet been stranded because the batteries suddenly ran out," says Lainó with a smile. Incidentally, the E80 is refuelled, or rather recharged, at the Oberbeuern depot, where the DC charging station has been installed. Before it is fully recharged, the bus has to remain hooked up to the cable for five hours. At 8 metres long, 2.20 metres wide and 3.20 metres high, it is the first fully electric bus to be used on a line operated by the Karlsruhe Transport Association ( KVV): it starts its service at 6.40 a.m. and finishes at midnight, interrupted only by the breaks necessary for recharging.

The E80 has 12 seats, 16 standing places and a large area for disabled passengers. "It has everything that a large vehicle has," emphasises Lainé. The vehicle weighs 8.7 tonnes, the integrated batteries alone weigh 2.5 tonnes. "It should last five years," says Herr Laine. The electric bus is powered in a completely environmentally friendly way with energy from 100 per cent hydroelectric power, he says: "The CO2 savings compared to a new diesel vehicle are 28 tonnes per year.

This does not take into account CO2 emissions for battery production. "Time will tell" whether electromobility in the OPNV in Baden-Baden is the technology of the future.

We are testing this vehicle and acquiring experience," says Herr. "And of course we are also following the developments of the large transport companies that are relying more and more on electric mobility. We definitely want to keep up with the times," assure Herr and Laine. A larger e-bus is due to arrive as early as March and will be tested for about a week in the spa town.

In principle, Laine believes that transport companies with two bus depots in Oos and Oberbeuern could be suitable charging stations for a fleet of electric buses. "Perhaps state subsidies will be granted?" Herr is referring to the costs that are currently still too high.

(Text and photos attached by Nico Fricke)