Electric Road Research Articles

A breakeven cost analysis framework for electric road systems

A breakeven cost analysis framework for electric road systems

The electric vehicle transition in Russia and Indonesia

Due to worries about global warming and its effects on the environment, economy, and society, a lot of emphasis has been paid to the switch to electric vehicles (EVs). This essay focuses on the switch to electric vehicles in Indonesia and Russia. Green technology, such as EVs, have been introduced in Indonesia in order to lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and enhance air quality. The study emphasizes the advantages of EVs, including their simplicity and improved comfort when compared to conventional vehicles, as well as their free highway use, parking, and tax incentives. The restricted affordability, ambiguous national policies, and inadequate public infrastructure provide difficulties for Indonesia. However, relative to its enormous auto fleet, Russia has lagged behind in the development of EVs, with just a tiny number of registered electric vehicles. However, the Russian government has approved a plan to increase the infrastructure and production of electric road transport. The strengths, weaknesses, and transitional strategies for EVs are assessed using a case study approach and comparative analysis. In order to encourage the use of EVs, it is stressed the significant of incentive programs and supportive policies, such as tax breaks and regional manufacture. The study comes to the conclusion that although both nations have made progress in the transition to electric vehicles, more has to be done in terms of policy creation, infrastructure development, and technological improvements in order to hasten the adoption of EVs in Russia and Indonesia.

GHG emission reduction potential of road freight transport by using battery electric trucks in Finland and Switzerland

Large-scale adoption of battery electric trucks (BETs) might be a practical solution for reducing the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in road freight transport sector if certain requirements are met. The minimum requirements are: 1) to overcome the operational range restrictions of BETs, and 2) to access an electricity power network with a certain level of emission intensity for the battery charging and battery production. In this study, we use a parametric GHG emission life cycle analysis (LCA) combined with a BET operational range coverage analysis to develop a methodology to provide a realistic estimation of BET’s large-scale adoption and its GHG emission reduction potential for different electrification scenarios for battery and charging technology improvements in trucks with gross vehicle weight (GVW) over 3.5 tons in Finland and Switzerland. Life cycle (LC) GHG emission reduction potential in Finland is estimated to be very low (around 30% with the help of electric road system (ERS) in some routes and around 12% without ERS) in the short-term electrification scenarios; however, the mid-term and long-term scenarios are promising for LC GHG emission reduction potentials (up to 60%) even with the current level of electricity emission factors in Finland. In Switzerland, LC GHG emission reduction potential is estimated to be quite high (74% in Switzerland vs. 12%-30% in Finland) compared to Finland in the short-term electrification scenarios; however, the midterm and long-term scenarios show high LC GHG emission reduction potentials for Switzerland (around 93%), while Finland needs the help of full-decarbonization of electricity generation for battery charging and battery production in BETs, and use of renewable fuels in other trucks, to achieve high emission reduction.

Substation Placement for Electric Road Systems

One option to avoid range issues for electrified heavy vehicles, and the large individual batteries for each such vehicle, is to construct electric road systems (ERS), where vehicles are supplied with electricity while driving. In this article, a model has been developed that calculates the cost for supplying an ERS with electricity from a regional grid to a road in the form of cables and substations, considering the power demand profile for heavy transport. The modeling accounts for electric losses and voltage drop in cables and transformers. We have used the model to exhaustively compute and compared the cost of different combinations of substation sizes and locations along the road, using a European highway in West Sweden as a case study. Our results show that the costs for building an electricity distribution system for an ERS vary only to a minor extent with the location of substations (10% difference between the cheapest cost and the average cost of all configurations). Furthermore, we have varied the peak and average power demand profile for the investigated highway to investigate the impact of a specific demand profile on the results. The results from this variation show that the sum of the peak power demand is the most important factor in system cost. Specifically, a 30% change in the peak power demand for the road has a significant impact on the electricity supply system cost. A reduction in the geographical variation of power demand along the road has no significant impact on the electricity distribution system cost as long as the aggregated peak power demand for all road segments is held constant. The results of the work are relevant as input to future work on comparing the cost–benefit of ERS with other alternatives when reducing CO2 from road traffic—in particular from heavy road traffic.

Solar Wireless Charging For Electric Vehicle While Driving

This paper presents a novel concept of solar wireless charging for electric vehicles (EVs) while driving. The idea is to integrate solar panels into the roads and use wireless charging technology to transfer energy from the solar panels to the EVs. . To overcome these challenges, several approaches have been proposed, including increasing battery capacity, improving charging infrastructure, and using alternative energy sources. One promising approach is to use solar energy to charge EVs while driving. Solar energy is abundant and renewable, and it can be harnessed using solar panels installed on the roads. However, traditional charging methods, such as plug-in charging, have limitations in terms of convenience and efficiency. Wireless charging technology, on the other hand, has the potential to overcome these limitations by enabling charging while driving without the need for physical connections. we propose a novel concept of solar wireless charging for EVs while driving. The proposed system integrates solar panels into the roads and uses wireless charging technology to transfer energy from the solar panels to the Evs. Key words: Electric road system, wireless power transfer, transmitter and receiver coils, power lanes, e-vechile ,charging while driving, no battery drain, easy to use, get charge while running , future oriented.

Determinants of Electric Road System Adoption by Road Freight Companies

This study analyzes the determinants of road freight companies’ adoption intention regarding the electric road systems (e-roads) on Swedish motorways. A research model was developed based on the technology adoption literature and Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. Survey data were gathered from 160 Swedish road freight companies, and structural equation modeling was performed to test the model empirically. The results reveal relative advantage, a technology characteristic, as the main determinant of road freight companies’ intention to adopt electric road systems. The study contributes to the TOE framework by reporting on the indirect effects of technological and organizational determinants on organizational intention to adopt technologies.

Economic impacts of the catenary electric road system implementation in Flanders

Catenary electric road system (ERS) is a technology that enables powering pantograph-equipped road freight vehicles with electricity from overhead catenary while in motorway traffic to provide energy for propulsion and charging the vehicle batteries. Once leaving the catenary road, the energy stored in the battery or another energy source, e.g. hybrid diesel, natural gas or hydrogen, is used for propulsion. In this research we model the deployment of such catenary network on the Flemish road network in Belgium to identify three points. First, what are the economic impacts of the catenary electric road system implementation in Flanders for the road haulage industry, their clients and wider society under different technology adoption scenarios. Second, what is the most optimal way of building such a catenary network. And last, what are the synergies that would come from implementation of this technology in the neighboring countries and how to benefit from those. In this research we find that catenary ERS has the potential to be developed into an economically sustainable and relatively cheap way of decarbonizing road freight transport. It offers considerable economic incentives for all the involved stakeholders and is beneficial to the society as a whole.

The stochastic inventory routing problem on electric roads

In this work we introduce a green inventory routing problem termed the Stochastic Inventory Routing Problem on Electric Roads (S-IRP-ER), in which a hybrid vehicle navigates a road network with charging opportunities in some road sections, to cover the non-stationary stochastic demand of a single product for a set of retailers in the network. We model the problem using isochrone graphs to represent the real road network. In an isochrone graph nodes are located such that the time to travel any arc is constant all over the network. This allows for tracking the battery level of the vehicle serving retailers, as it charges and discharges continuously while travelling. We formulate a mathematical programming heuristics and prove its effectiveness. We use our model on a realistic instance of the problem, showcasing the different strategies that a vehicle may follow depending on fuel costs in relation to the costs of electricity.

Non-invasive electrocardiographic mapping on the ward to guide ablation of premature ventricular contractions

Premature ventricular contracts (PVCs) are commonly encountered in clinical practice, but their ablation can prove difficult. In 15 patients with idiopathic PVCs, non-invasive mapping system View Into Ventricular Onset ™ (VIVO) in combination with 12‑lead Holter monitoring on the ward accurately guided catheter ablation via the creation of ‘electrical roadmaps’ of ventricular activation. This allowed for better discussions of risks and benefits with the patient prior to the procedure, and is likely to have particular advantages for patients with a low PVC burden, multiple morphologies, or difficult to reach origins. Clinical perspectivePERSONALISED APPROACH: A novel non-invasive mapping tool in combination with technology, such as 12 lead Holter monitoring, allows for individualised, accurate prediction of PVC origin outside the electrophysiology (EP) lab. Non-invasive mappingAn “electrical road map” can be implemented into 3D electroanatomical mapping systems, shortening procedure times and resulting in excellent clinical outcomes. Potential benefitsVIVO could be used to improve catheter ablation outcomes for patients with infrequent PVCs, multiple morphologies and/or difficult to reach origins.

Smart Steps Towards Sustainable Transportation: Profitability of Electric Road System

The global average temperature has increased by about 1°C compared to pre-industrial times and the temperature increase continues. The effects of climate change are already affecting living conditions on Earth. Through the Paris Agreement, the countries of the world have committed to limit global warming to below 2°C compared to pre-industrial times and to make efforts to keep the increase below 1.5°C. The transportation sector accounts for about 15% of Turkey's greenhouse gas emissions, and more than three-quarters come from diesel fuel. Already in ten years, transport emissions must be reduced by 70% according to the national targets. It is about both reducing emissions by 2030 but also ensuring that we are completely emission-free by 2050. The vast majority of emissions in the transport sector come from road traffic. Electric vehicles have emerged as the most promising solution to energy and environmental security concerns. However, a major constraint for electric vehicles has been the limited range and fast charging capacity. Various electric road technologies have great potential to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduce air pollution, and reduce noise in urban areas. This article proposes to discuss the inductive and conductive charging system and required system configuration in the concept of electric roads for electric buses. The model solution algorithm is designed and it is validated on the E-bus route R40 in Kayseri City, Turkey. It is found that if an electric road system is used instead of a diesel bus for a bus line route of 35.5 km, it will amortize itself in 10 years.

Thermo-viscoelastic analysis of an inductive charging system included in an eRoads. Incit-ev project

This paper presents work carried out in WP4 of the European project INCIT-EV, to develop a thermo-mechanical model, for simulating the performance of electrified roads using an inductive system for the charging of electric vehicles. The system consists of a charging unit, made of a box containing a litz coil, inserted into the road, at low depth under the surface, and sealed using a resin. In previous studies [1], several solutions for the insertion of this system in the road structure were evaluated, using experimental and numerical studies. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the potential of thermo-viscoelastic FEM structural simulations to predict the response of the electric road system (ERS) taking into account daily thermal variations, and heat released by the inductive charging system. Firstly, thermal laboratory tests were performed to evaluate the temperature variations due to the operation of the charging system, and compared with FEM simulations, in order to validate different modelling assumptions (material characteristics, boundary conditions). Then, transient thermo-mechanical simulations were performed, considering different materials for the coil block (polyethylene, or concrete), and for the sealing resin, in order to evaluate different possible designs of the charging elements. The variations of the deformations of the different structures, and of the strain and stress fields, during representative temperature cycles, were studied and compared. Differences in mechanical response obtained with different sealing resins (elastic or viscoelastic) and different coil block materials (polyethylene, and concrete) were analysed and compared.

The electric road: technical, economic and environmental study carried out in France Part 1. Technical aspects

The Electric Road System (ERS) is an innovative technology that could, if reaching maturity, contribute to the decarbonation of road transport. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition committed three WGs in 2021 to explore its potential, and advise the future decision makers on the technical, economic and environmental aspects, and the locks to overcome. This paper reminds the main solution to decarbonize road vehicles, explains the challenge and potential of ERS, the proposed industrial solutions and report the assessment of them made by a large group of experts i 2021. Finally, some recommendations are expressed, as well as proposal of experimentation in France.

Сприяння впровадженню електромобілів як науково-технічна інновація в галузі автомобільного транспорту

The purpose of this study is to analyze the consequences of the implementation of the concept of market orientation on the Ukrainian market of passenger electric cars and to determine the impact of innovations on its development. It is also necessary to analyze the application of new constructive solutions in the field of road transport, which contribute to the wider introduction of electric vehicles. As of January 1, 2023, the total number of passenger electric cars registered in Ukraine is 46,830 cars. Thus, the share of electric vehicles in the total mass of vehicles in our country is about 0.5%. The main driver of the increase in the number of electric cars was economy and a higher level of environmental safety compared to diesel and gasoline cars. Ukraine prioritizes the transition to electric road transport by January 1, 2030. In 2017, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine developed a 15-year strategy for the development of electric transport in Ukraine. According to the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, as of November 1, 2021, the Ukrainian charging network for electric vehicles included 3,244 stations with 7,661 terminals. Of them, high-speed (power over 22 kW) – 1,835 units, i.e. 24%. Other 5826 units. (76%) – ordinary terminals with a capacity of up to 22 kW. The main obstacles to the wider introduction of electric vehicles are their cost, underdeveloped recharging, service and repair infrastructure, as well as an insufficient number of maintenance and repair specialists. According to analytical data, the world electric car market is facing a serious transformation. Due to a number of factors such as a jump in electricity prices in Europe, the introduction of electric car taxation, the end of subsidies, problems with the development of global charging infrastructure, a sharp increase in the prices of raw materials, in particular, lithium and nickel. As a result, as noted, the rate of growth of sales of electric cars may slow down, and in some regions may even come to nothing. Electric cars give owners the opportunity to completely abandon traditional types of fuel and save their own money, and the state to localize the sphere of regulation of the level of environmental and man-made safety in the locations of power plants.

Vehicle and charging requirements for an electrified road freight system demonstrator in the UK

The UK has set into law a target reduction of greenhouse houses of 78% by 2035 and 100% by 2050. Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) represent 16% of UK road transport emissions are one of the ‘difficult-to-decarbonise’ sectors owing to their large mass and range requirements. An Electric Road System (ERS) with overhead charging wires presents an attractive solution to rapidly decarbonise HGVs at minimal cost and without the need for megawatt-scale batteries. In this work, we investigate some of the technical requirements for a proposed UK ERS demonstrator comprising 25 km of ERS on the M180 motorway in North Lincolnshire, including battery sizes and static charging infrastructure. A range of theoretical journey scenarios were considered, using simulated journeys and a detailed dynamic model of a 44 t ERS electric lorry. The results indicate the need for three vehicle types: a 150 kWh ‘small-battery’ ERS vehicle, a 500 kWh ‘medium-battery’ ERS vehicle, and a 300 kWh battery variant with a range extender for journeys with significant off-ERS driving requirements during the demonstrator.

The electric road system: technical, economic and environmental study carried out in France. Part 2. Economic and environmental aspects

This paper evaluates the introduction of an Electric Road System on the French motorway network. The starting assumptions are the size of the network concerned, the size of the truck fleet and the truck traffic measured on this network from counting stations. The size of the necessary electrical infrastructure is calculated on the basis of peak traffic and an economic optimum is sought, including the costs of batteries and infrastructure. It follows that an ERS network applied to the French road network reaches the optimum for a size of about 8,700 km if it is limited to heavy goods vehicles and about 16,900 km if it is open to vans and private vehicles.The results are as follows: (i) costs to carriers are similar to diesel, (ii) decarbonisaation achieves 86% of current emissions, and (iii) the reduction in battery size significantly reduces pressure on critical materials such as nickel.

The impact of electric vehicles on the energy system of Albania for a sustainable transport

The economic crises and the increase of oil prices have brought the need to find new ways of transportation with lower costs. One of the most recent trends is the use of electric vehicles. Albania has shown its ambition to become a producer and exporter of electricity produced from renewable sources such as HPP, solar and wind energy. On the other hand, it has improved its policies favoring the increase in the number of electric vehicles. In the paper, a hypothesis related to the number of electric vehicles has been developed. If Albania will have all electric vehicles, what effect will their demand for electricity have on the Albanian energy system? Is it possible to provide the necessary amount of electricity from the current production of the country for these vehicles and what should be done to produce this amount from renewable sources of electricity? Based on this hypothesis, we will analyze the Albanian energy system for the current situation and in the future. By determining the energy demand of electric road transport vehicles, we will give suggestions on what should be done to produce the electricity needed for electric vehicles.

Implementation of electric road transport – Poland in comparison with European countries

Implementation of electric road transport – Poland in comparison with European countries

Testing LAD1 of harvesting electric roads

Alternative power sources for roadway accessories have been brought to light through energy harvesting technologies. Several types of nanogenerators can harvest energy from rotating automobile tires by using the piezoelectric effect to generate electricity from these roads. As the wheel is pressed against the piezoceramic disks, energy is harvested by embedding them within a protective package. In this paper, we demonstrate the testing of several types of electric vehicles and how they are tested for electric performance and determine the output voltage and current.

Metal requirements for road-based electromobility transitions in Sweden

This research investigated the metal requirements for electrifying Swedish cars and heavy-duty trucks and refueling infrastructure. We assessed vehicle and infrastructure metal use given four cornerstone scenarios: battery electric vehicles and chargers, conductive and inductive electric road systems, and fuel-cell vehicles, besides an internal combustion engine scenario. Twenty-seven metals were evaluated. To our knowledge, this study presents a first attempt to develop a detailed inventory of prevailing and prospective charging infrastructures. Our study estimated total metal requirement at 7400–9600 kt and infrastructure share at 6%–25% (200–2400 kt). Infrastructure requires about 15% of gold, 30%–40% of silver and copper, and 40%–60% of molybdenum. Results revealed that the following metal flows contribute the most to long-term resource scarcities: rhodium in fossil-fueled vehicles; gold in electric vehicles; palladium and gold in conductive and copper and palladium in inductive electric road systems; as well as platinum in fuel cells.

Technoeconomic comparison of an electric road system and hydrogen for decarbonising the UK's long-haul road freight

Long-haul Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) are a significant source of carbon emissions, accounting for around 5% of the UK's total. If the UK is to meet its net zero mandate, it is vital to have a zero-emissions alternative to the traditional diesel-powered HGVs that is cost-effective and widespread in the 2040s. This paper presents a technoeconomic comparison of two solutions for decarbonising long-haul heavy goods vehicles in the UK: electric HGVs with an electric road system (overhead catenary) along the major road network, and fuel cell HGVs with public refuelling stations supplying green hydrogen. The results of the technoeconomic analysis show that overhead catenaries and compatible HGVs are the more energy-efficient and cost-effective solution to decarbonise the UK's long-haul road freight network and would provide both the infrastructure provider and fleet operators with competitive payback periods. With this approach, there is a potential to reclaim 30–80% of the diesel tax revenue currently earned by the UK government from HGVs, depending on the price of electricity. Conversely, the green hydrogen solution will require substantial government subsidies, particularly during the 2030s, to encourage fleet operators to purchase and use hydrogen fuel cell HGVs.