Siemens Smart Infrastructure has secured a contract to deliver its Depot360 Managed Services solution to Unibuss, a bus operator in the Greater Oslo region of Norway.

This initiative is set to ensure the optimised operation of Unibuss' electric fleet and charging infrastructure, marking Siemens' Depot360's entry into the Norwegian market.

Depot360 Managed Services by Siemens addresses the challenges faced by electric bus operators, including those related to Norway's harsh winter conditions and the necessity for round-the-clock monitoring of vehicle charging.

The service is a component of Siemens Xcelerator, a digital business platform designed to facilitate and accelerate digital transformation.

The smart charging capabilities of Depot360 will deliver the appropriate amount of energy to vehicles without surpassing grid capacity, Siemens said.

It will also enable remote monitoring of bus charging status to maintain stable operations and reduce energy consumption.

Siemens Smart Infrastructure head of emerging transportation platforms Alan White said: “As we look to accelerate the electrification of transportation, Siemens is keen to innovate with forward-thinking organisations such as Unibuss.

“Depot360 Managed Services, part of our digital business platform Siemens Xcelerator, will be a game-changer for Unibuss' operations. We look forward to demonstrating how our data-driven platform and expert NOC team can deliver more reliable, efficient, and transparent fleet operations, even in the most challenging environments.”

Using the Depot360 AI Platform, Siemens' expert team at the 24/7 Network Operations Center (NOC) continuously monitors and optimises charging infrastructure performance with fleet-centric algorithms.

The implementation of Depot360's load shifting and peak shaving features is anticipated to further reduce energy costs for Unibuss.

Unibuss, a subsidiary of Oslo's municipal transport company Sporveien, is responsible for transporting 70 million passengers annually across its 51 bus routes.

Unibuss technical director Henrik Anderberg said: "Transitioning to electric fleets is a vital step for Norway to achieve its ambitious climate goals and for setting a global example for greener transportation.”

“So too is implementing the right technology in order to optimize the efficiency of electric fleets. With Depot360 Managed Services, we can enhance the efficiency of our operations by optimizing charging, reducing energy costs, and improving route completion rates. Such streamlining of operations supports our sustainability goals, helping us contribute to a greener future and reduce our carbon footprint in public transportation.”

The company operates one of the largest electric bus fleets in the Nordic region, with 259 electric buses.

Siemens is showcasing Depot360 to the Norwegian market at the NHO Logistic and Transport conference in Oslo.