On 26th September, Better Place hosted the consortium partners of the EU backed TEN-T project “Greening European Transportation Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles” for a day of discussion and demonstration of the project’s early successes in Copenhagen. Among the participants were Ms. Laure Chapuis, Cabinet Member of the EU Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas, and Mr. Helmut Morsi, Deputy Head of Unit at DG Move, who along with the rest of the participants got a glimpse of the future of transportation by experiencing a battery switch at Europe’s first battery switch station.
The event marked the official launch of the project, which aims at planning a future pan European network of battery switch stations throughout Austria, Spain, Belgium, Luxembourg, Denmark and the Netherlands. It also marked the first results of the project, which was granted EU funding one year earlier in September 2010. As a result, the attendees were able to visit Europe’s first battery switch station in Gladsaxe, Copenhagen, where the Permanent Secretary of the Danish Ministry of Transport, Jacob Heinsen, presented a speech and took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, marking the completion of one of the essential milestones.
Where electric rail meets electric road
Another great result of the project was revealed by DSB (Danish State Railway Company) and Better Place as details about their common efforts to combine public and personal transportation were shown to the participants and members of the press. The companies presented the solution that will now be offered to a select number of companies in a pilot period. It includes the possibility of renting an electric car at the train station for employees using intercity train connections for business trips between Denmark’s two big industrial centers – located 300 km from each other – thus demonstrating intermodality between electric cars and public transport.
DSB presented how the electric car can be booked online together with the train ticket and how an SMS code will be sent to the employee during the trip and by answering this upon arrival, will open the electric car at the station. From the station, the employee then enjoys up to 120 kilometers of driving to one or more meetings before connecting the car to a Better Place charge spot at the station and heading back home with the intercity train.
Decarbonizing European transportation
The day had begun at the Better Place Center in Northern Copenhagen, where a roundtable discussion about decarbonization was initiated. Following Ms. Chapuis’ keynote speech and Mr. Morsi’s speech on innovation in TEN-T and the importance of infrastructure for fossil fuel alternatives, representatives from the municipalities of Amsterdam and Copenhagen presented their ambitious programs to introduce electric vehicles in their respective cities. Amit Yudan, European Business Development at Better Place, then explained some of Better Place’s future visions for an electric car network in Western Europe, and like all other speakers, was requested to answer a number of interesting questions from the audience during the Q&A sessions and panel discussions.
Having witnessed the battery switch, the consortium members finally went to the Copenhagen City Hall to conclude the day with representatives of the Copenhagen City Mayor, while trying the pancakes the Lord Mayor is famous for serving his guests.
European Commission Backs Better Place-led Coalition for First Ever ‘De-carbonisation’ Infrastructure Project
A coalition of eight partners led by Better Place today announced that the European Commission has selected their eMobility project, “Greening European Transportation Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles”as the first and only project to be funded to date under DG MOVE’s new “de-carbonisation” infrastructure category. The €4.95M award comes under the “Trans-European Transport Network” programme.
The project envisions the analysis, testing and deployment of a multi transport mode network using today’s road infrastructure and railways coupled with an electric car charging network of battery switch stations and charge spots powered by renewable energy along with intelligent transport systems. It is an innovative project that will serve as a technology roadmap for creating a pan European electric car network. The project is designed to help de-carbonise the grid – a key policy initiative for the European Union – and will provide feedback to ongoing EU consultation around the new TEN-T guidelines (2013-2020) and other initiatives shaping the future of transportation in Europe including CARS 21.
Europe-wide Green eMotion Initiative To Pave the Way for Electromobility
The European Commission has kicked off a four-year cross-European initiative to promote electromobility. The 42 partners in the initiative comprising industrial companies and automobile manufacturers, utilities, municipalities, universities, and technology and research institutions are to input, exchange and expand their know-how and experience in selected regions within Europe.
“Electromobility will make an important contribution toward reducing carbon dioxide emissions. Green eMotion is intended to ensure the fast-track success of electric vehicles,” said Siim Kallas, Vice President of the European Commission and Commissioner responsible for Transport. The project volume has been budgeted at EUR 42 million, of which the EU will contribute as much as EUR 24 million.
The partners in the initiative are to accumulate experience with electromobility in existing and new test regions within Europe and refine the technology. Key issue is the development of European processes, standards and IT solutions that allow customers of electric vehicles easy and seamless access to charging infrastructure and related services throughout the European Union. Standardization is also the key factor for a fast and cost-efficient European rollout of electromobility.
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European Commission Backs First Project for Battery Switch
A consortium led by Better Place and including Renault SA, Continental AG, TUEV Rheinland, Ernst & Young, KEMA and seven leading European institutions today announced formal approval from the European Commission for an R&D program to make it easier for European automobile and battery manufacturers to build electric cars with switchable batteries. Today’s announcement is the first project for switchable battery electric cars approved by the Commission.
The project calls for the “EASYBAT” Consortium to develop “off-the-shelf” automotive grade components and interfaces that enable the auto industry to easily integrate battery switching technology into their electric car platforms.
The EASYBAT solution will consist of interfaces for switching a battery in and out of an electric car quickly and safely; the connector interfaces between the car, the battery, the communications network, and the battery cooling system; and design specifications that meet European industry and safety standards. The solution will be integrated and tested on fully electric vehicles to ensure it meets production-grade manufacturing criteria and European safety standards.
