“Our buses need to run reliably. We don’t have time to check the batteries regularly. With the VARTA® AGM we now have peace of mind.”
Company: Conexxion Bus
Name: Jan Snijders
Position: Workshop manager
Location: Netherlands/Rotterdam
Company: Conexxion Bus
Name: Jan Snijders
Position: Workshop manager
Location: Netherlands/Rotterdam
Challenges of public transport companies:
Technical, environmental or governmental trends strongly affect battery requirement
- Constantly increasing amounts of energy consumers in the buses, like Wi-Fi, displays, cameras or air conditioning require significantly more energy from the battery.
- Growing amounts of start stop moments due to improved route networks with additional stops. This leads to shorter driving time and less time to charge the battery.
- Governmental regulations demand a reduction of CO2 emissions which calls for the installation of new fuel saving functions that put additional strain on the battery.
VARTA® Solution:
The VARTA® ProMotive AGM is the only technology able to cope with the demands of modern buses for a longer battery lifetime and less downtime. It features:
- Advanced charge acceptance to significantly reduce the risk of breakdowns.
- Six times the cycling performance of regular batteries for a longer battery life and less repair costs.
- Superior deep discharging capabilities for a reliable power supply to all electronic devices.
- Highest vibration resistance for an extended battery lifetime.
- Improved cold cranking power for reliable starting power in every situation.
“AGM technology means performance 24/7.“
“I am working at Connexxion, a bus company operating in the region of Rotterdam. We have around 70 buses on the road and are responsible for the local commuting routes. Over the past ten years we installed more electronic devices in the bus such as Wi-Fi, cameras, payment systems and air condition. When the engine stops the devices still need power. The biggest energy consumer in the bus is the payment system. It runs updates overnight frequently and sends the passenger payment records to the server. A feature that cannot be switched off.'
“With the new VARTA® ProMotive AGM we prevent standstill.”
“The battery became a weak spot in our modern buses at Connexxion. However, standstill is not an option for us. We have installed the ProMotive AGM in two of our buses and the difference is clear: it has six times longer life than conventional batteries. Whereas before we had to change the battery once a year, we now have peace of mind. The advantage of the ProMotive AGM is obvious. That is very important in our daily business. Therefore, from a technical point of view, I can only recommend that we gradually equip our bus fleet with AGM technology.”
"The battery is extremely stressed in public transport. Here is an example: After a route, our drivers stop at the end point for about 20 to 30 minutes before continuing. The engine is off, but the electronics keep running. Conventional batteries would quickly become completely discharged, especially in winter, so that the engine would no longer start."
