IMPULSE
The IMPULSE project was developed to address the challenges related to managing electric bus fleets
in public transportation.
As cities transition towards zero-emission mobility, Public Transport Operators (PTOs) face difficulties
related to vehicles’ battery life, long charging times, as well as limited and non-standardized charging
infrastructure. These factors can lead to service interruptions, increased operational costs, and
hesitation in electrifying bus fleets.
To tackle these issues, IMPULSE developed a software platform capable of processing real-time data
on vehicles’ battery status and usage, planned routes, and transport network conditions. This enables
PTOs to optimize their fleet management and charging operations, reducing service downtime and
improving overall efficiency. The project was a collaboration between CARNET – UPC Technology
Center, Carris (Lisbon’s public transport operator), the Municipality of Kadıköy (Turkey), and realCity
ITS Kft. (Hungary), bringing together expertise in urban mobility, public transport management, and
software development.
IMPULSE was inspired by the urgent need to accelerate the electrification of public transport while
ensuring that PTOs can efficiently manage their fleets. The project was executed from January 2024 to
February 2025, with two pilot demonstrations: in Lisbon, Portugal, and Istanbul (Kadiköy), Turkey. In
Lisbon, the platform was tested on a large fleet of up to 59 e-buses operating in the city’s public
transport network. For the Istanbul pilot case, the test was performed with a smaller fleet of 3 electric
minibuses, provided by the Princes Islands’ PTO.
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Project end:
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Countries
Reducing service interruptions, risks, and operational costs for public transport operators in managing e-bus fleets, by optimising charging operations and improving decision-making.
IMPULSE addresses the variabilities of vehicles’ batteries consumption patterns due to real-time factors, low opportunity charging availability, lack of a standardised charging infrastructure and hardware incompatibilities.
IMPULSE will provide a platform capable of optimising e-bus fleet management using real-time data about batteries’ status, network characteristics, vehicles used, and planned routes.
The platform enhanced fleet management in Lisbon, cutting e-bus service interruptions by 24% and lost-kms by 30%. Carris grew its e-bus fleet from 15 to 59 (+293%), reducing emissions by 3,200 CO₂ tons annually and supporting Lisbon’s sustainable mobility goals.
In Istanbul, the on-board unit setup took one week after minimal modules adaptation, ensuring rapid deployment. The pilot proved effective fleet management is possible with manual data collection, without real-time telemetry system. The platform also provides battery usage understanding across the routes, reducing unnecessary full charges and supporting future e-bus expansion.
CARNET - Fundació Centre d'Innovació i Tecnologia de la UPC
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