Innovative technologies for public electric transport systems

The paper presents the development status of the innovative technologies adopted for urban electric transport systems. The description is mainly focused on the zero emission buses based on fuel cells and energy storage devices such as supercapacitors and batteries. These vehicles are characterised by higher operating range and efficiency than hybrid and battery buses and don’t need an external supply. The features of the on-board supply system, of the control strategy and of the drive configuration are presented with reference to the guidelines developed in a national research project involving four Italian universities. A detailed analysis is given about the choice of the type of electric motor, as it directly affects the vehicle performance and the drivetrain efficiency; in particular, three in-wheel permanent magnet motors are compared in terms of installation requirements, torque production and total weight.