Zero-Emission Electric Buses Launch at OU -- Field Tests with Kansai Electric Power Company and Hankyu Bus Co., Ltd.

Osaka University, in cooperation with Kansai Electric Power Company (KEPCO) and Hankyu Bus Co., Ltd., has begun to field test two battery electric buses in its Inter-Campus Shuttle Bus Service since October 1, 2021.

Currently, five shuttle buses run between its three campuses -- Toyonaka, Suita, and Minoh -- and are used as a means of transport for OU community members to attend classes and participate in extracurricular and business activities on other campuses. Of the five buses, two are these electric buses.

This field test, which began on February 16, 2021, will be carried out for some two years. The Mobility System Joint Research Chair of Osaka University’s Graduate School of Engineering will calculate and test algorithms for an optimal charge/discharge system using temperature and operational data from these electric buses.

KEPCO will conduct energy management for optimizing charge/discharge control for the electric buses and test virtual power plants (VPP) that remotely control storage batteries. Hankyu Bus will operate these 2 large-scale electric buses in the university’s shuttle bus service.

These electric buses will be powered by renewable energy, e.g. energy that has been derived from earth's natural resources, aiming for zero emissions. The buses will be charged at night when energy demand is low and electricity is cheaper.

When these buses are not in service, power stored in storage batteries are discharged for use at bus terminals. These buses can also be used as electric-power generators during blackouts cased by natural disasters.

Currently, these electric buses are only available for members of the university, but Hankyu Bus is planning to put this type of bus in service on public bus routes in the future.

The departure ceremony for these electric buses was held with infection control measures in place on the university’s Suita Campus on September 30. After the ribbon cutting ceremony by organizers, including TANAKA Toshihiro Senior Executive Vice President, related individuals and members of the media took test rides on the zero-emission, battery electric buses.

As the world steadily advances toward its goal of carbon neutrality, achieving carbon neutrality in education, research, and management represent important issues for Osaka University, which has promoted activity related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This introduction of these electric buses is a great endeavor: it will not only contribute to decarbonization, but also will usher in a new era and stimulate the curiosity of OU students.