In service testing of the 100% electric Bluebus on the Chamonix Bus network runs from Monday 6-21 March 2017.
According to Radio Mont Blanc, the communes of the Chamonix Mont-Blanc valley and the team of Chamonix Bus put the 100% electric Bluebus, Bolloré technology, through its paces with a full, in service test only on the route Le Tour - Grands Montets this short but demanding route should provide good test environment.
Designed and manufactured in Brittany, by Bluebus a subsidiary of the French Bolloré group, this 100% electric urban transport solution answers the environmental challenges and combines high technology, design with 'no emission' performance. Bluebus develops clean public transport solutions for urban use, using roof-mounted batteries, deceleration energy recovery and reduced-mobility access.
The introduction of Bluebus on the Chamonix Bus network is an example of the valley's commitment to decarbonised mobility and in compliance with the Air Quality Plan for the Chamonix valley. It is hoped that a successful test will lead to the integration of electric buses throughout the fleet of Chamonix Bus, by 2020.
According to Le Dauphine, a presentation of the Bluebus took place on Thursday 2nd March 2017, at Prarion Les Houches. The director of Transdev Mont-Blanc Bus, Marc Joigneau, presented the Bolloré electric bus to the elected representatives of the community of Chamonix, the president and mayor Éric Fournier, the vice president and mayor of Les Houches Xavier Roseren and the vice-president of transport Michel Payot. They were invited to travel on the Bluebus to experience the vehicle.
Two of the three "Mules" that circulate in the town center are already using this technology. This is the first time a large vehicle will go into service. The goal of this test is to ensure that the Bluebus complies with the new standards for the the mountain environment, prior to any decision on further investment. Each Bluebus vehicle costs approximately €550,000
Chamonix Bus has ordered the two week test to determine if a bus designed for urban and semi urban service will function effectively in a mountain environment with steep gradients and very low temperatures.
- Gradient. Does the bus have difficulty with a steep climb and can break safetly on a steep descent while realising kinetic energy for storage into the batteries.
- Batteries. Do the batteries function effectively at low temperatures and does the inbuilt battery system allow for a realible transfer energy. The director of Mont-Blanc Bus, Marc Joigneau explained "Below -7°C, they can not charge. This is why they are equipped with a self-heating system to maintain a 60°C internal temperature"
As with all electric vehicules, the issue of recharging the batteries is critical. The Bluebas has two different batteries systems, one on the roof and the other on the rear of the vehicle. Testing should determine which system allows for more efficent recharge. Marc Joigneau, the director of Transdev Mont-Blanc (Chamonix Bus) is clear that they want "to know which technology to use, with what functioning and what model to make the right choice".
Technical characteristics of the Bluebus vehicle:
- Length: 12 meters;
- Width: 2.55 meters;
- Capacity: 75 passengers;
- Total weight: 13.4 tons;
- Equipped with 8 batteries. Each Lithium Metal Polymer battery is rated to output 30 kWh and weighs 75kg.
- On the roof there are 4 LMP batteries and also 4 batteries LMP are mounted in the rear of the vehicle with a total weight of 300Kg.
- Out off service recharge time: 9 hours
- Autonomy: between 180 and 250 kilometers, for a full day of operation;
- Maximum speed 70 km/h.
The Bolloré Group has developed the high performance Lithium Metal Polymer (LMP) electric battery used in: electric vehicles, car-sharing services and stationary solutions.
Also, the Bolloré Group continues to increase the capacity of its two industrial sites producing the lithium metal polymer battery developed by Blue Solutions in Ergué-Gabéric, in Brittany, and Boucherville, near Montreal, in Canada.
These batteries are characterized by their power, high energy density, their strong level of cyclability and their safety. They are used in the Bluebuses and the Bluecar vehicles, giving the latter a range of 250 km.
