EMT Madrid has completed a significant expansion of its electric bus charging infrastructure at the depot in the Carabanchel district of Spain. The third phase of expansion, recently finished, has added 118 new charging points, with further expansion planned for the fourth phase. These new charge points will allow 260 battery-electric buses to be charged simultaneously at the Carabanchel depot.
The charging infrastructure features top-down pantographs, which are lowered from the roof of a fixed tent onto the pantographs on the roofs of the electric buses parked below. This system eliminates the need for drivers to plug in a cable after parking their vehicles.
Each pantograph is connected in groups of three, providing 360 kW of charging power. According to EMT Madrid, a single bus can be fully charged in about one hour with the full 360 kW if it’s the only vehicle charging. If all three charging spots are occupied, the power is divided into 3x 120 kW, still allowing for three electric buses to be fully charged in three hours, ensuring they are ready for the next shift after overnight charging.
Safety features have been incorporated into the infrastructure, including a fire protection system, sensors to detect escaping gases, and thermal imaging cameras to identify potential malfunctions and risks during charging. Additionally, PV modules on the roof are expected to cover approximately ten percent of the demand with self-generated solar power.
The expansion is part of Madrid’s efforts to further decarbonize public transport. Once the fourth phase is completed, a total of 320 charging points will be available in Carabanchel.
By the end of 2024, EMT Madrid aims to have a fleet of over 440 electric buses. The company’s goal is to operate a completely emission-free bus fleet by 2033, with the last conventionally powered vehicle taken out of service in December 2022. The electric buses are sourced from manufacturers such as Solaris and Irizar, with EMT Madrid also ordering fuel cell buses from CaetanoBus.
