Charging electric vehicles with trolley bus power

Sustainable electricity from the bus power line for eco-friendly mobility in the urban environment. Together with Lucerne mass transit (VBL) and AVIA Schätzle AG, Axpo's subsidiary CKW is realising a very special, new quick charging station for electric vehicles in the Lucerne area. The government also supports the project. 

The innovative charging station enables drivers to charge their electric vehicles with renewable power coming from the VBL overhead line at the AVIA filling station on Luzernerstrasse in Kriens. Vehicles can be charged with power to last up to 100 kilometres in less than 10 minutes. 

In addition to supporting sustainable mobility, the integration of the charging station into VBL's line network offers other advantages: On the one hand, this makes it easier to make more charging capacity available to customers, which results in a significantly faster charging speed. On the other hand, much fewer construction measures, for example excavation work, are required because the overhead line system runs along the main traffic arteries. With the project, CKW and VBL are using synergies and the AVIA filling station is expanding its service offering. 

Pilot and demonstration project

The Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) also thinks highly of this innovative approach. The SFOE is supporting the charging station in Kriens as a so-called demonstration project. The government’s pilot and demonstration programme promotes development and experimentation of new technologies, solutions and approaches in the area of economical, efficient energy utilisation, energy transmission and storage, as well as the use of renewable energies. The goal is to raise the maturity level of new technologies so they can ultimately be brought to market. 

A charging station for everyone

The new charging station at the AVIA filling station on Luzernerstrasse 56 in Kriens was extensively tested in recent weeks. The station has been available to customers since 19 May 2020. The quick charging station is integrated in the MOVE charging network making it available to anyone.

With the new charging station, CKW, VBL and AVIA Schätzle AG are meeting the strongly increasing demand for e-mobility. Fact is, that in cities it is not always easy find a place to charge one’s vehicle. Rental properties are not yet equipped with charging stations and the typical, public ones are usually much slower than the new quick charging station. Furthermore, quick charging stations are primarily located at rest areas along the motorway. 

As a result, the innovative idea will not only be realised in Kriens. "CKW wants to help bring additional charging stations to city areas. We’re interested in realising more projects with partners," says Jan-Niclas Viebrock, Head of Product Management at CKW. 

More information on the Move charging network here