E-Paper Bus Displays Now Work As Long As Three Years Off Single Battery Charge

November 6, 2023 by Dave Haynes

Transit stop updates and scheduling is a particularly good application for outdoor e-paper displays, and some of the companies marketing that tech have now pushed the limits on operating life to as long as three years on a battery charge.

That’s not including the solar arrays that are sometimes attached to the transit stop poles to power backlighting for the displays at night.

The UK firm Papercast announced recently a 13-inch unit is launching with that battery life and other products will support it.

“At the heart of this innovation,” says PR, “is Papercast’s in-house developed advanced e-paper driver circuit board. This cutting-edge technology pushes the boundaries of power efficiency, setting new industry benchmarks. The result is a display that delivers rich, visually striking content, all while maximising battery life, making it the most sustainable and cost-effective choice for transit agencies.”

Another company – Sweden’s Axentia, also says it has “ultra-low powered iBus E-paper displays operate for 3 years on battery between battery changes and have no need for any continuous maintenance.”

These kinds of displays only consume power when changes are made, and if backlighting is used at night. So operating life will depend somewhat on tings like the frequency of schedule changes and status updates.