For sure, electric buses offer a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to traditional fossil-fuel-powered buses. But the concept brings many new challenges in terms of safety, regulation and infrastructure. It’s technical specifics – only think about charging – also heavily influence the long-lived process of operating a bus line, designing a bus depot, or running a workshop. For bus fleet operators and their service partners, new technology is much more than “just a different vehicle”.

One miracle cure to put operators and their service chain back at ease, is digital connectivity: With all complexity in business and technology, hardly any bigger bus-fleet today is operated without the help of fleet management software. Platforms such as ZF Bus Connect link all vehicles with a central operator dashboard, from where energy consumption can be optimized, charging status overlooked, driving improved, dangerous situations avoided or reports for tax refunds or compliancy questions can be filed.

But this is not, where it ends: upcoming applications will be based on more and deeper connections with parts in the vehicle: think of brakes, transmissions, axles and more. The systems will enable tighter monitoring of vehicle health, provide important usage and maintenance hints, thus prolonging lifetime and reducing downtimes. And they will enable a new digital interplay between our service partners, their fleet customers and ZF as a supplier – seamless interaction to reach unprecedented service levels.

Because in bus business, only up-time is money!