TAIPEI (TVBS News) — In pursuit of its target to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Taiwanese government has provided financial support to bus companies to acquire electric buses.
As of 2022, Taipei City boasts the largest fleet of electric buses in Taiwan, with 400 in operation.
While electric buses offer enhanced comfort, their batteries, and charging stations require stringent regulation and maintenance to ensure optimal safety.
Huang Chun-fu, a maintenance supervisor for electric buses, explained, "the charging equipment and stations will check for compatibility, verifying the voltage and current of both components before initiating the charging phase."
Moreover, the charging stations' software is designed to identify potential issues such as overheating or excessive voltage, and electrical fuses additionally safeguard the hardware.
Fast charging stations can boost the battery percentage of e-buses from 20% to 80% in just 15 minutes, enabling the vehicles to travel for an additional 80 km before requiring a recharge.
It is worth noting that each electric bus has four batteries, each weighing 500 kilograms. As such, ensuring the stability and efficiency of every battery is of the utmost importance.
Because of this, the general manager of a local bus company, Li Chien-wen, pointed out the importance of having Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for " emergency evacuation and troubleshooting for all types of electric buses."
He added that in addition to raising awareness, they had conducted drills with professionals such as firefighters and under the supervision of the Taipei City Public Transportation Office to let employees know what to do in case of emergency.
In the past, there have been several incidents where electric buses caught fire at charging stations.
To prevent such occurrences from happening again, the government must ensure that, as diesel buses are replaced with electric buses, safety measures are updated to ensure their safe and smooth operation.