Analyzing Energy Efficiency and Battery Supervision in Electric Bus Integration for Improved Urban Transport Sustainability

Addressing the critical challenge of reducing local emissions through the electrification of urban public transport, this research specifically focuses on integrating electric buses. The primary objectives are to evaluate energy efficiency and ensure battery cell supervision. Introducing electric buses plays a significant role in reducing emissions, contributing to more sustainable urban transport systems. However, this transition introduces a set of new challenges, including the complexities of electric charging logistics, the establishment of new consumption standards, and the intricate relationships between distance traveled, ambient temperature, passenger load, and battery health. Methodologically, this study collects and examines factors impacting energy consumption, including external temperatures, bus conditions, road conditions, and driver behavior. By analyzing these variables, a baseline for actual consumption can be established, allowing for the calculation of an energy balance to identify energy inefficiencies. This enables the optimization of route planning, the strategic selection of stops, and the efficient scheduling of charging times, along with ensuring the proper scaling of the bus battery system. This study found that energy consumption peaked at 116.73 kWh/100 km in the lowest temperature range of −5 °C to 0 °C. Consumption decreased significantly with rising temperatures, dropping by 25 kWh between 5 °C and 10 °C and by an additional 10 kWh between 10 °C and 15 °C. Beyond 20 °C, variations were more influenced by route and driving style than by temperature. Route and driver variability significantly influenced energy consumption, with up to threefold differences across routes due to factors such as road type and traffic volume. Additionally, there was a 31.85% difference between the most and least efficient drivers, highlighting the critical impact of driving style. Furthermore, this study explores the assessment of battery systems through cell-level diagnostics to detect potential faults. Considering that buses are equipped with significantly more batteries than typical electric vehicles, detecting and localizing faults at the cell level is crucial to avoid the substantial costs and environmental impact associated with replacing large battery systems. Utilizing the results of this research and the applied examination methods, it is possible to enhance energy efficiency and extend battery life, thereby contributing to the development of more sustainable and cost-effective urban transport solutions.