KVG Lippe and Westfalen Weser rely on Kempower: Future-proof charging infrastructure for regional buses
A milestone for climate-friendly regional transport has been set in the district of Lippe, North Rhine-Westphalia: the first charging depot for electric buses recently went into official operation at the Reisedienst Motzek company site in Lage in the district of Lippe. The Kommunale Verkehrsgesellschaft Lippe (KVG) and Westfalen Weser Ladeservice implemented the project in record time – equipped with state-of-the-art Kempower technology.
First charging station for regional buses in Lippe
The charging depot in Lage is the first of a total of six planned locations that will supply the entire KVG Lippe e-bus fleet. It offers 12 charging points with a total charging capacity of 600–1,350 kW. What makes it special is that it is the first time in the region that the innovative Kempower solution has been used, in which the charging station and power unit are spatially separated. This allows optimal use of space and flexible and efficient charging of several buses at the same time.
“With Kempower, we are using a charging infrastructure in regional transport for the first time that combines high performance with flexibility. This lays the foundation for the reliable, efficient, and future-proof operation of KVG’s electric bus fleet,” says Andreas Stoller, authorized signatory at Westfalen Weser Ladeservice.
Contribution to the electrification of public transport
KVG Lippe’s goal is to gradually put a total of 39 fully electric regional buses into service. At the same time, six charging depots are being completed in the areas of operation – so that, step by step, the entire infrastructure will be in place to reliably operate the entire fleet.
The introduction of electric mobility in regional transport is a key step for us. It is impressive how well our team and all our partners have worked together. Without this commitment, implementation would not have been possible in such a short time,” emphasizes Thomas Brosig, Procurist at KVG Lippe.
Efficient charging infrastructure with Kempower
The modular system of Kempower Power Units and Kempower Control Units enable dynamic power control and maximum operational reliability. Together with KVG, an energy management system has also been established that shifts charging processes to time slots with favorable electricity prices. This enables annual energy cost savings in the six-figure range to be achieved.
Implementation in record time
It took just seven months from planning to commissioning. This was made possible because Westfalen Weser Ladeservice won three Europe-wide tenders – for construction, transformer stations, and charging infrastructure.
“The project in Lage is a showcase project for us. We were able to demonstrate that high-performance charging infrastructure can also be implemented quickly, reliably, and in a future-proof manner for regional transport,” says Andreas Stoller.
The Lage location marks the start of the electrification of regional transport in the Lippe district. Five further charging parks are already in the implementation phase. KVG Lippe is thus laying out the foundation for climate-friendly mobility that will convince passengers and drivers alike and make the region fit for the future.
