Electric Road Research Articles

Dataset on Electric Road Mobility: Historical and Evolution Scenarios until 2050

An increasing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is expected in the coming decades mainly due to the need to achieve carbon neutrality until 2050. However, predicting electric mobility’s future is challenging due to three main factors: technological advancements, regulatory policies, and consumer behaviour. The projections presented in this study are based on several scenarios driven mainly from reports published by public entities and consultants. It considers the evolution of electric road mobility by defined targets in the electrification of the transport sector. Therefore, the gathered data addresses different horizon times regarding EV penetration in the World, Europe, Portugal, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia. Thus, an extensive literature review and estimating approach for EV forecast was conducted concerning EV markets, charging infrastructure, and electricity demand. Also, the dataset aims to provide a demand projection by 2050 and serving as a critical input to further work on EV mass deployment in the context of the project Electric Vehicles Management for carbon neutrality in Europe (EV4EU) and other works related to this field.

Economic Impacts of the Electric Road System Implementation on the Rotterdam–Antwerp Corridor

Electric road systems (ERSs) are a group of technologies that allow powering adequately equipped road transport vehicles with electricity from the road infrastructure while in motorway traffic. They can be categorised into three technology groups: overhead catenary, ground conductive, and ground inductive, depending on the mode of power transfer used. The supplied energy is used for propulsion and for charging the vehicle batteries to be used once the vehicle leaves the electrified road section. Also, another energy source, e.g., diesel, natural gas, or hydrogen, can be used while away from the ERS. This research investigates the potential impacts of implementing the different ERS technologies on the Rotterdam–Antwerp motorway corridor that links the two largest ports in Europe. The aim is to identify which of the routes between the ports is best suited for the implementation of an ERS, whether there are substantial differences in the economic performance of the different ERS technologies, determine what ERS vehicle traffic volumes are required and potentially available for successful implementation, what investment is required to build the system and whether the ERS operator can be profitable, and whether transport operators could operate their trucks on ERS profitability in this corridor setting. The research shows that the route between Rotterdam and Antwerp that runs on motorway E19 is the best to be electrified from an economic standpoint. Our calculations show that the traffic on the Rotterdam–Antwerp corridor is sufficient for economically justifying ERS infrastructure rollout and operation. For transport operators who happen to have specific client bases, e.g., those who usually serve clients from one of the ports along the electrified route, the construction of an ERS on the route could prove to be very lucrative if they adopt the technology early.

Plug-in charging or electric roads? Powering U.S. long-haul heavy-duty trucks in 2050

Abstract Pervasive plug-in fast chargers and/or electrified roadways (eRoads) might address the limited range, long recharging times, and reliance on greenhouse gas (GHG)-intensive, costly, and heavy batteries associated with electrifying long-haul heavy-duty trucks (HDTs). While these large-scale interventions shift environmental and cost burdens onto infrastructure, there is a lack of studies investigating how eRoads affect system-level GHG emissions, costs, material use, and peak electric grid power demands. We compare these aspects for the case of electrifying U.S long-haul HDTs (Class 8) in 2050 powered by combinations of plug-in fast chargers and eRoads. Our model accounts for battery downsizing, energy consumption, and truck operation patterns in quantifying life cycle impacts of batteries, plug-in chargers, eRoads, and hourly truck electricity demand. We find that plug-in fast chargers and eRoads reduce annualized 2050 HDT life cycle GHG emissions by 8% to 14% compared to using long-range batteries, which in turn have at least 50% lower emissions than diesel trucks. Conductive rails, overhead lines, and wireless eRoads (amortized across light- and heavy-duty vehicles) have lower system-wide costs than long-range batteries, plug-in fast chargers, or diesel trucks. Cost savings from smaller batteries, lower energy use and avoided recharging time offset high eRoads capital costs. While eRoads can reduce both system-level GHG and costs compared to diesel trucks, these reductions are sensitive to eRoads capital costs and losses from wireless power transfer and air resistance. eRoads require less lithium (87%) and copper (67%) than long-range batteries but increase regional peak power demands by up to 32%. Efficient wireless power transfer and aerodynamic pantographs enhance eRoads’ GHG and cost advantages, which may diminish if future batteries are more energy-dense, cheaper, or less GHG intensive. If successfully deployed, eRoads present opportunities for tighter integration between the transportation and electricity infrastructure systems, enabling optimized charging strategies to lower GHG emissions and costs.

Research regarding the simulation of the autonomy for the electric vehicles in the case of the WLTC test cycle

Abstract In current mainstream research, energy consumption and autonomy are just a few of the the major objectives anticipated for electric road vehicles. The production of electric vehicles is continuously expanding, offering to the market a large variety of constructive variants in order to satisfy the requirements for their exploitation. Also, in the current energy context, it is expected from the electric car manufacturers, to deliver high quality models which can be characterized as the actual alternatives to actual existing solutions equipped with an internal combustion engine. Under these circumstances, the continuous research it is a high priority for everyone electric vehicle producers, where simulation on the computer is basically not absent as a go-between step prior to the validation of the final draft proposals. According to these assumptions, in the first part of the article you will find the AMESim simulation platform points, where it describes the model made with it and the simulated test cycle. In the second part of the article, as a consequence of the simulation of the experimental electric vehicle, are highlighted some aspects of the autonomy behaviour in the case of simulation on the World-wide harmonized Light duty Test Cycle (WLTC), for all four speed zones specific to it.

Route optimization of battery electric vehicles using dynamic charging on electrified roads

The Electric Road System (ERS) is an innovative technology enabling electric vehicles (EVs) to charge while in motion, offering increased EV range and cost-effective battery solutions. This advancement is particularly valuable for logistics companies seeking to enhance their EV adoption. To provide long-distance delivery routes for heavy-duty EVs through ERSs, we present a first-time attempt to solve the Electric Vehicle Travelling Salesman Problem with Dynamic Charging, where the EV can be charged while driving on the electrified road segments. We formulate this problem by considering path choices between consecutive customers and propose a network reduction heuristic (NRH) to solve large-size instances. We test our model and NRH on grid-like synthetic instances and real-world data developed from the UK road network. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of the NRH and highlight the potential of ERSs in improving logistics activities and decarbonising road transport. Our experiments revealed that although the typical driving range of most EVs falls short of 400 kilometres, with the widespread deployment of ERS, EVs can traverse distances exceeding 2000 kilometres without requiring recharging stops. Our experiments also revealed that establishing infrastructure on approximately 30 % to 40 % of all roadways is adequate to ensure reliable access for EVs.

Review On Evolution and Development of Electric Road Roller

The evolution and development of electric road rollers mark a significant advancement in the construction machinery industry, driven by the imperative of sustainable infrastructure development. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the historical progression, technological innovations, and current trends shaping electric road rollers. Beginning with the early developments of steam-powered and diesel-driven road rollers, the transition towards electric propulsion systems is traced, highlighting the environmental benefits and operational efficiencies offered by electric models. An electric-applied road roller vehicle represents a sustainable and innovative solution for the construction industry. This eco-friendly equipment utilizes electric power to propel the roller, reducing carbon emissions and noise pollution compared to traditional fossil fuel-powered counterparts. The vehicle's design incorporates advanced technology, such as gear chain mechanism to maximize energy efficiency and extend battery life. With its quiet operation and reduced environmental impact, the electric road roller vehicle demonstrates a promising step towards greener construction practices, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future. Top of Form Keywords— Electric Road Roller, Battery, High torque dc motor, propulsion system, gear assembly, etc.

The possible future of electric road systems in Europe—time to decide and act

Electrification of road transport is crucial to limit global warming. Battery electric vehicles with stationary charging infrastructure have received considerable attention in the scientific literature for both cars and trucks, while dynamic charging via electric road systems (ERS) has received much less attention and their future role in low-carbon road transport is uncertain. Here, we envision three potential scenarios for the future of ERS in European low-carbon transport. We sketch a potential European ERS network and discuss the political, technological, and market steps needed to realize these. We argue that existing field trials, tests, and research projects have collected sufficient evidence to make the next step: Decide and act. Decision-makers will never have perfect information about all aspects of ERS or competing technologies, but the urgency of the climate crisis requires a commitment one way or the other. A clear decision with respect to ERS would send a clear directive and would help focus time, effort, and money on the necessary infrastructure and policies to implement ambitious GHG abatement targets in road transport.

Research concerning the autonomy of the electric vehicles, simulated and measured, in the case of driving at the high and the very high speed, specific to the WLTC test.

In the current research, the autonomy and the energy consumption are the most important attributes expected from the electric road vehicles. Because the electric car manufacturing industry is in a continuous progress, this offers its customers a wide range of constructive variants through which their operational requirements can be met. It also has high expectations of the electric car manufacturers in the current energy context, to develop new high-performance models that can be considered as a real alternative to the current internal combustion engine solutions. So, the research part continues, and is a priority for all car manufacturers. Moreover, the computer simulation is also included as an intermediate stage before the final projects are validated. In the first part, there are detailed theoretical aspects of the electric vehicle to be tested and the test procedure applicable to it, specific to the WLTC cycle, for the high and very high-speed test area. Also, is described the vehicle model simulated using the AMESIM modelling platform. In the second part, are presented the experimental and simulated results performing a comparative analysis. Following the analysis, it has been possible to draw graphs showing the evolution of the state of charge and the mode of exhaustion of the autonomy, in the case of the two driving zones analyzed, respectively at high and very high speed.

A network design perspective on the adoption potential of electric road systems in early development stages

The electrification of heavy freight trucks presents a significant challenge in the global push to decarbonize the transport sector. This study explores the deployment of Electric Road Systems (ERS) as a potential solution. We propose a novel methodology, grounded in rich empirical data, and apply it to the potential deployment of ERS infrastructure in the Netherlands. The primary aim is to analyze the adoption potential of different ERS network designs during the early stages of ERS development, specifically contrasting dense infrastructures with longer ERS corridors. The results show that corridors offer superior performance in terms of the distance traveled over the ERS infrastructure while dense networks attract more, but shorter trips. These differences in performance indicators have important implications for policymakers when considering the financial viability and environmental impact of different ERS network designs.

Reliability Assessment of Integrated Power and Road System for Decarbonizing Heavy-Duty Vehicles

With the continual expansion of urban road networks and global commitments to net zero, electric vehicles (EVs) have been considered to be the most viable solution to decarbonize the transportation sector. In recent years, the electric road system (ERS) has been introduced and piloted in a few countries and regions to decarbonize heavy-duty vehicles. However, little research has been carried out on its reliability. This paper fills the gap and investigates the reliability of electric truck power supply systems for electric road (ETPSS–ER), which considers both the power system and truck traffic networks. First, a brief introduction of electric roads illustrates the working principle of EV charging on roads. Then, an optimized electric truck (ET) travel pattern model is built, based on which the corresponding ET charging load demand, including both static charging and dynamic charging, is conducted. Then, based on the new ET travel pattern model, a daily travel-pattern-driven Monte Carlo simulation-based reliability assessment method for ETPSS–ER system is presented. Case studies based on the IEEE RBTS system shows that ETs driving on ERS systems can meet the daily travel demands. The case studies also examine the impacts of increasing number of ETs, extra wind power, and battery energy storage systems (BESS) on the reliability of ERS power systems.

Reducing the Environmental Impact of Large Battery Systems with Conductive Electric Road Systems—A Technical Overview

A radical transformation of the transport industry is required in order to achieve a fossil-fuel-free vehicle fleet and reach the greenhouse gas emissions goals. Electrification plays a crucial role in this radical process. An electric road system (ERS) is a road that supplies power to electric vehicles as they drive on it, offering numerous advantages. These include an extended driving range, decreased reliance on batteries, and increased flexibility and convenience for drivers, eliminating the need to stop for recharging. This paper highlights the transformative potential of ERS in revolutionizing the land transport sector. Through thorough testing with a conductive ERS demonstrator, the viability of the presented technology is validated. Essential aspects like power transfer, efficiency, safety, and environmental impact showcase ERS’s adaptability and scalability across diverse vehicle types. This study recommends widespread ERS support for battery electric vehicles, emphasizing the route toward a sustainable future.

Electrification of Urban Road Traffic: A Reliability Analysis of Traction Power Supply for Electric Road Systems

Abstract The electric road system (ERS) is an emerging technology to support decarbonisation of heavy good vehicles (HGVs). The reliability of the traction power supply system (TPSS) for an electric road is a key consideration in ERS planning and maintenance, but since the development of ERS is still at its early stage, the reliability study of different ERS systems has not been fully researched. This paper fills this research gap. It first analyses the potential operation risks of three different ERS systems using the failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) method. Then, a fault tree model is built to analyse the overall reliability of the traction power supply system of each of the three ERS types and to identify the weak links. Furthermore, the overall failure rate and reliability indicators are obtained by combining the possible failures of both the electric and non- electric components of the TPSS. Finally, based on the analysis of the potential risks and the corresponding reliability indicators, the advantages and disadvantages of different ERS solutions and the future development prospects are discussed.

Efficiency evaluation of a conductive Electric Road System with respect to traffic characteristics

Efficiency evaluation of a conductive Electric Road System with respect to traffic characteristics

Experimental Investigation of Mechanical and Electromagnetic Performance of Asphalt Concrete Containing Different Ratios of Graphite Powder as a Filler to be Potentially Used as Part of Wireless Electric Roads

This study experimentally investigates the usability of asphalt concrete pavement containing five different ratios of graphite powder (0%, 1.25%, 2.5%, 3.75% and 5% by weight of the aggregate blend or 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of the filler content) as a filler to be potentially used as part of wireless electric roads (ER). As part of the study, first, optimum asphalt binder content for the asphalt mixes without graphite powder was determined as 5%. Then, using the determined optimum asphalt binder content, asphalt mixes containing five different ratios of graphite powder as a filler were prepared and their mechanical and volumetric properties based on Marshall mix design methodology were evaluated. As graphite powder ratios in the asphalt mixes increased, their Marshall stability, flow, voids filled with asphalt and unit weight test results mostly decreased but their air content and voids in mineral aggregate test results increased. Possible reasons for this could be: (1) lower bulk specific gravity of graphite powder, (2) higher asphalt absorbance, (3) having greater surface area compared to that of limestone filler, and (4) weak bonds between sheet-like graphite layers. Furthermore, another batch of asphalt mixes containing five different ratios of graphite powder were prepared and tested in the frequency range of 3–18 GHz for their electromagnetic permittivity properties. It was observed in this study that, except for the specimens with 100% graphite powder ratios, transmission magnitudes of all specimens were above 50% up to 8 GHz, indicating that they had comparably high transmission magnitudes so as comparably low tangent loss values. In the frequency range of 3–13 GHz, transmission magnitudes of the specimens with 25% and 50% graphite powder ratios were consistently higher than that having no graphite powder, the ones with 25% powder ratios had the highest transmission magnitudes in most of the cases in this frequency range. Considering the mechanical, volumetric and electromagnetic property test results of the asphalt mixes with five different ratios of graphite powder, it can be concluded that the use of 25% graphite powder ratio (corresponding to 1.25% of the aggregate blend used in the mixes), has a comparably lower negative effect on mechanical and volumetric properties of asphalt mixes and has a positive effect on electromagnetic permittivity properties of asphalt mixes. Asphalt mixes produced with this graphite powder ratio can be considered to be used as part of wireless ER.

Critical risk factors of electric road uptake on motorways: a Swedish Delphi study

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of a ranking-type Delphi study on the critical risk factors for the adoption of an electric road system (e-road) for trucks on the main motorways in Sweden. The investment cost of such a system is high, necessitating an upfront evaluation of the adoption risk factors to reduce the likelihood of budget overruns and project delays. Participating Swedish e-road experts (N = 52) from the public sector, private sector, and academia identified 32 unique risk factors, which were divided into five categories. The three most critical risk factors, as ranked by the experts, were ‘low expansion rate,’ ‘low utilization rate,’ and ‘lengthy public-sector evaluation.’ Overall, market and financial risks were ranked as more important than institutional, technological, and sustainability risks. This study has important implications for policymakers in countries considering e-road adoption.

Experimental Investigation of Mechanical and Electromagnetic Performance of Asphalt Concrete Containing Different Ratios of Graphite Powder as a Filler to be Potentially Used as Part of Wireless Electric Roads

This study experimentally investigates the usability of asphalt concrete pavement containing five different ratios of graphite powder (0%, 1.25%, 2.5%, 3.75% and 5% by weight of the aggregate blend or 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of the filler content) as a filler to be potentially used as part of wireless electric roads (ER). As part of the study, first, optimum asphalt binder content for the asphalt mixes without graphite powder was determined as 5%. Then, using the determined optimum asphalt binder content, asphalt mixes containing five different ratios of graphite powder as a filler were prepared and their mechanical and volumetric properties based on Marshall mix design methodology were evaluated. As graphite powder ratios in the asphalt mixes increased, their Marshall stability, flow, voids filled with asphalt and unit weight test results mostly decreased but their air content and voids in mineral aggregate test results increased. Possible reasons for this could be: (1) lower bulk specific gravity of graphite powder, (2) higher asphalt absorbance, (3) having greater surface area compared to that of limestone filler, and (4) weak bonds between sheet-like graphite layers. Furthermore, another batch of asphalt mixes containing five different ratios of graphite powder were prepared and tested in the frequency range of 3–18 GHz for their electromagnetic permittivity properties. It was observed in this study that, except for the specimens with 100% graphite powder ratios, transmission magnitudes of all specimens were above 50% up to 8 GHz, indicating that they had comparably high transmission magnitudes so as comparably low tangent loss values. In the frequency range of 3–13 GHz, transmission magnitudes of the specimens with 25% and 50% graphite powder ratios were consistently higher than that having no graphite powder, the ones with 25% powder ratios had the highest transmission magnitudes in most of the cases in this frequency range. Considering the mechanical, volumetric and electromagnetic property test results of the asphalt mixes with five different ratios of graphite powder, it can be concluded that the use of 25% graphite powder ratio (corresponding to 1.25% of the aggregate blend used in the mixes), has a comparably lower negative effect on mechanical and volumetric properties of asphalt mixes and has a positive effect on electromagnetic permittivity properties of asphalt mixes. Asphalt mixes produced with this graphite powder ratio can be considered to be used as part of wireless ER.

Advantages of plug-in hybrid electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft with hydrogen energy storage

Electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are becoming more and more attractive due to the improvements in electric road vehicles, and the mounting demand for new urban air mobility. As here discussed, due to the low specific energy density of batteries, hybridization of the propulsion system with fuel chemical energy storage and electricity production on board by either an internal combustion engine and generator, or fuel cells stack, appears to be a better avenue to deliver performance (cruise speed, range, and payload) than using only large and heavy batteries at least through 2030.

Operation and Control of an Active Power Collector for Roadside Feeding Electric Road System

The integration of electric vehicles (EVs) as an environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional fossil fuel cars faces a range of technological obstacles, including battery technology, charging infrastructure, and standardization. Dynamic conductive road charging (DCRC) of EVs at high speed has the potential to overcome the technical limitations of existing static charging methods. An intelligent motorway system for EVs called tracked electric vehicle (TEV) was proposed to incorporate the latest technologies of dynamic road charging, autonomous driving, and smart city data into transport infrastructure. This paper presents the operation and control of an active bipolar power collection unit (PCU) for the TEV system. The PCU is seamlessly integrated within the wheel structure of an EV using the concept of a stationary-hub wheel, enabling conductive power transfer from roadside conduction rails while the vehicle is in motion. The PCU is equipped with various features designed to maintain the contact force (CF) with the conduction rails, effectively handle instances of wheel bouncing and vibrations, and ensure a consistently smooth dynamic power transfer. This paper presents the experimental validations of the active PCU controls, including the operation sequence of the PCU, CF control, and PCU interaction with wheel bouncing.

An electric road system or big batteries: Implications for UK road freight

An Electric Road System (ERS)—comprising a network of overhead cables to charge Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) via a pantograph pick-up—is a cost-competitive solution to rapidly decarbonise the UK road freight sector. A major benefit over conventional battery electric HGVs is the reduction in battery capacities needed to fulfil logistics needs. In this study, we develop a detailed vehicle simulation model and use it to calculate the battery capacity requirements of real UK logistics journeys against a range of ERS network sizes and on-route static charging options. The results show that, averaged over all static charging scenarios, ERS reduces battery sizes by 41 %, 62 %, and 75 % for the ‘Light’ (2,750 km), ‘Medium’ (5,500 km) and ‘Heavy’ (8,500 km) ERS scenarios. Of the static charging scenarios, drop-off charging is shown to be more effective than rest stop charging at reducing battery sizes.

Towards Reliable Design and Operation of Electric Road Systems for Heavy-Duty Vehicles Under Realistic Traffic Scenarios

Decarbonizing heavy-duty vehicles through electrification is a demanding task due to their large energy and power requirements. One promising solution to address this problem are electric road systems (ERS), which provide dynamic charging and traction power for electric vehicles. While their technological feasibility has been proven in numerous pilot projects, its reliability under realistic traffic scenarios is yet to be thoroughly investigated. In this paper, we define the reliability criteria for ERS and investigate how they are influenced by various realistic traffic scenarios. Then, the relationship between the ERS reliability criteria and the key system parameters such as the DC link voltage, distance between substations and feeding arrangement is analyzed. We find that the continuous current limit is the most critical criterion under heavy traffic conditions. Furthermore, we look into a number of run-time techniques to cope with electrical stress on the system and propose a technique based on successive approximation of the total current demand. We compare and evaluate the effectiveness of the run-time techniques and show that our proposed technique is able to improve ERS utilization while ensuring reliable operation.