Overview
Many German cities are economically and demographically fast-growing regions. The sustainable management of traffic in these cities is one of the key factors for maintaining the functioning of the cities as demand for transport services increases. However, the negative consequences of today's traffic (noise and pollutant emissions, land use) are in contradiction with the requirements for sustainable development of the urban environment. In order to significantly reduce emissions of pollutants in city centres, electric vehicles and rapid fleet penetration with this technology are required. The bus sector in particular can be an important driver in public transport, as the operation of public transport seems to be preferable for the application of electric drives and measures can have a high impact in this area. However, there is no far-reaching standardization in the entire area, but applications are usually tailored to a specific situation under the given boundary conditions. This can make fast and sustainable implementation and market penetration more difficult.
In this project, ecologically and economically sustainable and technically and operationally integral test and practical applications of electrically operated public transport (bus) as well as directly connected applications (e. g. electrically operated multimodal applications) are to be identified, described, analysed and evaluated under the heading of "Environmental and economically sustainable testing and practical applications".
In order to be able to provide decision support for practical application and rapid dissemination, various criteria (operation, profitability, integration and networking possibilities) can be evaluated.
A professional overview (technology, economic efficiency, operation, integration and urban design etc.) of electrically powered bus systems and their networking with other electrically operated modes of transport in the municipalities should be developed. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the examples, indications for the future application and implementation of a fully electric public transport system will be developed by comparing and evaluating the potentials and challenges of individual applications. The knowledge gained in this way thus forms the basis for further decisions and implementations and serves a rapid standardization. Based on the finding, additional information should be provided for future funding.
The results should be used as a guideline with recommendations for direct practical application and thus contribute to a fast dissemination of knowledge, decision support and further practical implementation of electro-mobile applications in public transport, taking into account networking possibilities with other predominantly electrically operated modes of transport.
First of all, the description of boundary conditions and decision criteria in the selection of systems and technologies as a decision-making aid for future applications will be done.
Then, the effects (and changes, if any) on operational procedures and fleet management through e-bus operation (e. g. changing vehicle circulations and vehicle operating reserves, breakdown reserve) when different technologies are used; and questions of loading management strategies including urban design aspects are considered.
Moreover, (new) possibilities of interaction between electrically powered, rail-bound public transport and electrically powered bus systems are analysed.
In addition, the impact of extended e-mobility in public transport on depots and workshops is taken into account.
Finally, the possibilities for improved networking and optimised interaction of a fully electrically powered public transport system with other electrically operated modes of transport (e. g. car sharing, e-bikes, e-passenger cars of the local and municipal fleets), both technically and operationally is considered and
costs and follow-up costs depending on various technologies, as well as suggestions with respect to new forms of financing are taken into account.