e-Line ™ – THE WHISPER QUIET SIEMENS Charging Pantograph

by Editorial | UTM

With the e-Line product family of e-Mobility pantographs, Siemens is setting a new standard in electromobility.

The Siemens charging pantograph sets itself apart because of its extremely low noise levels when engaging with the charging hood and when being lowered onto the bus roof. This is achieved by a special design and the use of noise-dampening coupling elements in the charging head. As a consequence, the noise level around the charging station is extremely low, whether it be in a residential area, alongside a bus line or within a depot.

“It is really impressive how quietly the Siemens charging pantograph couples with the charging hood” says the leading test engineer from the Hungarian bus builder IKARUS, who has been putting the Siemens pantographs through their paces in the field for several months now.

He is very familiar with these types of pantographs charging systems. Not only for IKARUS, for whom he is presently working, but also from his former employment at another leading electric bus builder, who also deploys these types of pantograph systems.

The pantograph is capable of transmitting charging power up to 600 kW and can be used for short time opportunity charging with high currents as well as for depot charging with reduced charging currents. A development step planned in the near future involves even higher charging currents.

The special design of the charging head enables contacting with just a peak noise level of 54 dB at ten meters distance – which makes it the quietest in its class. Guided by rollers and equipped with a special bearing, the contact head slides into the standardized charging hood even with the vehicle in any misaligned position [1], which makes it predestined for deployment in urban areas, where electric commercial vehicles are in their element.

The e-Line on-board pantograph series consists of a low number of components resulting in a reliable design, achieving its service friendliness and low weight. Maintenance costs are negligible because of the wear-resistant pantograph design. The few inspections that are required can be aligned with routine bus maintenance intervals.

The pantograph can handle all misalignment positions of the vehicle [1] and therefore ensures reliable charging in the charging station. Even if the bus goes into the so-called kneeling mode, i.e., the side of the vehicle facing the sidewalk lowers, the pantograph compensates for this motion. Thanks to the spring-loaded lifting arm and the innovative bearing arrangement of the contact head the electrical contact is stable and not interrupted.

In the event of the vehicle loosing electrical power, the optional available self-lowering function automatically brings the pantograph into its transport position. Without the driver having to intervene it releases the contact with the charging hood and the vehicle can simply be towed away.

The Siemens e-Line features a 600 x 630 mm mechanical interface allowing for exchange of older pantographs or other makes on buses. Equipped with the new Siemens e-Line vehicles can be charged at the same relative position to the charging station as with commonly used pantographs.

Through its special design, the charging pantograph is extremely compact and does not need a support structure for returning the charging head in its transport position. This means that other components can be integrated more easily, for example batteries can be placed underneath the lifting arm on the vehicle roof as an additional interface between the vehicle and the charging pantograph is eliminated.

Nearly every vehicle roof can cope with the lightweight design of less than 90 kg.

The pantograph has been made ready for your series production by exhaustive tests and a sophisticated program of field trials. The pantograph complies with all aspects of EN 50696 and can be used with the charging hoods generally being used today.