In the course of introducing electric vehicle systems into public transport fleets, current scientific findings and initial practical experience go hand in hand. Today, transport companies, which strategically decide to introduce electric buses, are no longer confronted with the problem of whether such a system is technically feasible, but are faced with very practical problems regarding implementation concepts, financing and profitability.
To meet this challenge VCDB VerkehrsConsult Dresden-Berlin GmbH has developed the software based tool BeSystO, which is an acronym for "Bewertungsverfahren für Systeminnovationen im ÖPNV" (Evaluation Procedure for System Innovations in Local Public Transport).
It evaluates the operational, technological, economic, and ecological aspects of electric vehicle systems as a selection and decision-making basis, which is characterised by a strong practical orientation from the operator’s point of view. Transport companies are prepared for business challenges with expert advice in combination with this instrument.
The decision model can provide both a selection of suitable lines as well as the definition of a particular system configuration (vehicle, traction system, traction energy storage, charging technology and regime) based on different criteria and conditions.
Once the electric system is in operation, an additional software tool called BeSystO Online forecasts the state-of-charge of electric busses. BeSystO Online evaluates both real time and historical data to predict the state of charge for the whole block of a bus.