The market of alternative drive vehicles is developing, however, new drivelines also mean new challenges for the carriers. Servicing zero-emission buses can differ strongly from the maintenance of diesel vehicles. Solaris offers extensive expert support in the area of alternative drivelines; these specialists help optimise maintenance service.
Servicing zero-emission buses equipped with an electric drive does not only involve standard repairs. The service is almost exclusively focused on electronics, and workshop employees use laptops, meters and oscilloscopes rather than classic keys. Although there are more and more electric vehicles every day, there are still so few of them that servicing can cause problems, mainly related to the lack of information and common knowledge.
That is why Solaris offers After Sales tailored for electric vehicles. A dedicated after-sales support structure and an extensive service network are customised to the needs of customers who have electric vehicles in their fleets. The experience of almost 2,500 emission-free vehicles sold allows the manufacturer to make accurate service diagnoses and realistically assess the possibilities of their service. In addition, Solaris advises customers on how to prepare for their optimal use.
The service network is structured in such a way as to be able to offer quick and effective assistance to the customer on many levels. Local service points are responsible for the main service, additionally they are supported by experienced technicians. In complicated cases, mobile service technicians – flying doctors can also help. In the case of repairs of electric buses, the capabilities of the technical back-up facilities and the available infrastructure are important – plug-in chargers or a pantograph charging station. The personnel should have appropriate authorizations to work with electric power devices. Many of the key components of electric buses are on the roof, such as pantographs and batteries. Occupational health and safety regulations require appropriate safeguards to perform work on the roof, i.e. work at a height above 3 meters.
The key to shortening the repair time is a correct diagnosis. Both clients who do the maintenance of their vehicles themselves, and those who commission it to Solaris service workshops, can now take advantage of a new solution – the remote diagnostics system eSConnect. It is a system developed to monitor the bus fleet by customers and to increase the efficiency of servicing. This precise diagnostic instrument enables efficient management of the electric bus fleet and its optimal use, which translates into energy savings. With the help of the eSConnect system, service facilities in many cases are able to remotely diagnose a faulty component and prepare the service for repair, if required. In addition, in some cases, the system allows remote troubleshooting without the need for service technicians to visit the customer, which significantly reduces transport costs and the associated environmental impact.
You can read about the details of the eSConnect system HERE.
