To support European Mobility Week (Sept. 16-22), ABB is running an awareness campaign about sustainable transport technologies by encouraging people to share stories and pictures of their journeys on public transport.

European Mobility Week encourages cities to promote sustainable transport and alternatives to car use. With better public transport, cities can cut traffic congestion, increase road safety, reduce pollution, foster social inclusion and be a motor for economic growth.
To coincide with European Mobility Week, the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is launching the “All together for public transport growth” movement. It encourages all stakeholders to raise awareness of the benefits of public transport and to show their commitment to sustainable mobility.

As a world leader in power and automation technologies, ABB has long been developing solutions for sustainable transportation and believes its innovations have the potential to transform the urban environment for the benefit of all.

Flash-charging for electric bus
ABB’s most recent innovation is a “flash-charging” technology for large-capacity electric buses that was recently unveiled in the Swiss city of Geneva. The system delivers a 15-second charge at bus stops, providing enough power for the bus to the reach the next charging stop, allowing for traffic and detours. As well as being silent and having zero emissions, the technology does away with the need for overhead power lines by embedding the charging infrastructure in the bus shelters.

Energy recuperation for trains
In rail transport, ABB is playing a key role in enabling public transport operators to use energy smartly, providing greener and smoother transport. One innovation already implemented on the rail network of the US city of Philadelphia is regenerative braking technology. This converts the braking energy of trains into electricity and returns it to the power system. Thanks to ABB’s ENVILINE Energy Recuperation System, energy consumption can be cut by 30 percent.

ABB’s technologies encompass a wide range of energy efficient products and systems that improve performance and reduce the energy footprint of public transport systems. Other notable installations are Istanbul’s newest and longest Kadikoy-Kartal metro line as well as red-line stations on the driverless Dubai metro, both of which rely on ABB solutions for power.

Spread the word during European Mobility Week
During European Mobility Week, ABB is supporting awareness of the need for sustainable urban transport by encouraging employees and the general public to take photos or videos of themselves – so-called ‘selfies’ – using environmentally friendly forms of transport, and post these in the social media, using the hashtag #ABBcommute. The best pictures or footage will be shared on ABB’s social-media accounts.