Optimising electric vehicle operations
259 electric buses, fully connected:
Unibuss optimises electric vehicle operations with Consat Telematics
Unibuss is the largest electric bus operator in Oslo, dedicated to providing sustainable, electric mobility solutions to the public. With a total fleet of 259 electric buses distributed across three depots, the operator plays a central role in the region’s transition to eco-friendly urban mobility. At the heart of their operations lies the Stubberud depot – the largest electric bus depot in the Nordics and one of the biggest in Europe, housing 120 electric buses and 130 charging points.
Consat Telematics supports Unibuss with key solutions for monitoring, managing, and automating electric bus operations. As electrification introduces greater system complexity compared to traditional diesel fleets, Unibuss relies on robust digital systems to maintain performance and reliability.
Project overview
Partners:
Unibuss and Consat Telematics
Location:
Oslo, Norway
Objective:
Support Unibuss in optimising electric vehicle operations with advanced charging management and traffic management solutions.
Benefits:
Real-time control and reliable operations for 259 electric buses.
Completion date:
Ongoing collaboration, 2025 status update
The challenge:
From diesel to electric:
new software demands
Unibuss, a public transportation operator in Oslo, serves passengers through its Transport as a Service (TaaS) model, integrated with public transportation authorities such as Ruter. Electric operations come with challenges that diesel fleets never faced. From charger software to operational control systems, an electric bus fleet requires seamless coordination across many components. As Rune Bakken, Head of Business Development and Digitalisation explains, “With diesel, you just needed a pump to fill up the tank. Now it’s much more software-dependent.” This complexity increases the risk of disruptions and places higher demands on visibility, control, and real-time responsiveness.
To align with their focus on electric mobility and sustainability, Unibuss sought a reliable solution for optimising electric vehicle performance, managing energy consumption effectively, and improving overall fleet efficiency.
The solution:
Connected operations in real time
With Consat’s Charging Management System, Unibuss now has full insight into their charging network. They can detect whether chargers are functioning correctly and delivering the energy needed. This visibility is critical to ensuring that every bus is road-ready. An upcoming feature aims to extend this by automatically identifying energy anomalies, allowing timely interventions to keep schedules on track.
Consat also implemented Traffic Studio, which connects onboard computers to provide advanced traffic monitoring (AVM), traffic planning, dynamic passenger information, and voice communication capabilities. Integrated Automatic Passenger Counters (APC) improve capacity planning and service efficiency.
In parallel, Consat and Unibuss are developing a new deviation management solution. Moving beyond the traditional green/yellow/red status indicators, this next-generation tool uses route-based triggers and live data to detect and log deviations. This automated process reduces manual work, improves response times, and enhances the overall quality of public transportation service.
Core functionalities
- Full control of charging infrastructure and energy delivery
- Real-time deviation management for bus and charger systems
- Route-specific automated deviation detection and logging
- Integration of charging and operations for efficient dispatch
- Onboard computers connected to Traffic Studio for AVM, planning, dynamic passenger information (DPI), and voice communication
- Automatic Passenger Counters (APC)
- Charging management solution implemented depot
The results:
Reliable electric vehicle performance, every day
- Real-time insights into charger functionality and energy delivery
- Automated deviation detection based on live operational data
- Reduced administrative overhead and quicker issue resolution
- A scalable system to support Oslo’s growing electric fleet
- Greater reliability and passenger satisfaction
- Improved capacity management and service planning
“With Consat, we now have full control. We can see whether the chargers are functioning and delivering the power they should. That level of control is crucial for reliable operations.”
– Rune Bakken
Head of Business Development and Digitalization, Unibuss
In summary:
A smarter approach to electric bus operations
Effective deviation management and simplified reporting.
Reliable electric fleet operations.
Reduced manual effort.
Optimized energy consumption and lower operational costs.