Siemens eHighway Electric vehicles

2019: Start of the road for electrotrucks in Germany

At the beginning of May, 2019 in Germany the first elektrofitsirovanny road for trucks was put into operation. The Siemens company which implemented this project, hopes that it will manage to reduce harmful emissions from multiton cars.

So-called eHighway 10 km long was located to the south from Frankfurt. Over this section of the autobahn stretched wires, similar to those which use trolleybuses in the cities. Through these electric cables the trucks equipped with the rising current collectors receive the energy necessary for the movement.

In Germany the road for electric trucks is put into operation

At connection to these wires of the truck can move with the switched-off diesel engines, and after journey of eHighway DVS join again. On the elektrofitsirovanny road it is authorized to gather speed to 90 km/h. Driving through it free.

14.6 million euros were selected for construction of Germany's First Autobahn for electrotrucks from the budget of the country. Money went for construction of construction with contact power supply networks on all extent of section. The Federal ministry of environmental protection directed 70 million more euros to development of electrotrucks.^[1]

It is expected that eHighway will appear on two autobahns of the country — in the States of Schleswig-Holstein and Baden-Württemberg.

In Siemens consider that such method of transportation of goods can be integrated into the operating transport network of the country and to carry out there where there is no opportunity to construct the railroad. Thanks to technology cargo carriers will be able to save up to 20 thousand euros for each 100 thousand kilometers of a run, and it will be possible to reduce significantly emission of exhaust gases in the atmosphere, stated in Siemens.

The German company claims that eHighway "is twice more effective in comparison with internal combustion engines".

Germany aims to reduce emissions of a carbon dioxide gas at least by 80% by 2050 and planned for the 2030th the termination of sales of new cars with petrol and diesel motors. 

2017

Start in the USA

In November, 2017 the Siemens company created the USA first road for electrotrucks. The project under the name eHighway (the electrified highway) is implemented in California (near   the port of Los Angeles and Long Beach) together with  the Commission on  air quality of the Southern Coast (SCAQMD).

Siemens unrolled on pilot section 1 mile long (1.6 km) the electric contact line for cargo electric and hybrid cars. Two small pantographs over a cabin of the machine nestle on two cables (phase and "earth"), like the trolleybus.

The electrotruck on Siemens eHighway Highway

Electric trucks, moving on the route eHighway, can charge the accumulators during the movement, and hybrid cars will be able to switch off auxiliary internal combustion engines and to transfer electric motors to a power supply from the electric network of the route. Thanks to it cars will be able to pass distances twice more long in comparison with traditional trucks.

SCAQMD say that eHighway will allow to reduce the volume of harmful emissions as heavy-load transport most strongly contaminates air of South California. 

By estimates of Siemens, use of eHighway in California will allow owners of trucks to save fuel on $20 thousand per 100 thousand miles (161 thousand km) and also to reduce emissions of a carbon dioxide gas by 6 million tons. Authorities of the state set the task of 80 percent decrease in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by 2050.

Investments into project implementation of eHighway in California makes $13.5 million from which Siemens will select only $1.3 million. The most part of means will be provided by the state organizations, logistic and other companies interested in implementation of contact network in the region. At the same time length of the electrified highway which is wanted to be built in the state is not reported.^[2]

In Germany trucks will become trolleybuses

The German company Siemens received the contract of the authorities of the German state of Hesse for creation of the electric contact line for cargo electric and hybrid cars. According to the message ^[3], the agreement means creation of a contact chain on federal Autobahn A5 between Frankfurt and Darmstadt^[4].

In October, 2016 the authorities of Germany decided to impose a ban on registration of new cars with the internal combustion engines used directly for traffic. Prohibition will begin to work since 2030. Until then the authorities intend to prepare road infrastructure for transition to electric transport.

The contract with Siemens company assumes construction of a contact chain on Autobahn A5 only ten kilometers long. On this section it is going to estimate efficiency of the technology created by Siemens within the initiative eHighway project since 2012.

It is supposed that over the road over one or several bands about two contact cables — phase and the earth will be placed. Having appeared on this section a special system by electric or hybrid trucks will put forward because of the fairing over a cabin two small pantographs and to press them to a contact cable like the trolleybus.

Tests of section of eHighway

According to the eHighway project, electric trucks moving on the route with contact lines will be able to charge the batteries without reducing the course, and hybrid cars will be able to switch off auxiliary internal combustion engines and to transfer electric motors to a power supply from the electric network of the route.

As expected, eHighway section will earn from Autobahn A5 in 2018. If the authorities consider it effective, length of contact network can be increased. Besides, Siemens will receive then contracts and for construction of eHighway on other routes of the country.

Electric vehicles

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