Solutions for electrified road freight transport

Innovative solutions are needed in the mobility sector beyond avoidance and shifting to the rail network in order to meet the increasing demand for freight transport and at the same time achieve the German government's climate targets.

The eHighway Schleswig-Holstein (FESH) research project is conducting comprehensive research into the use of electrified trucks on the highway. The aim is to scientifically investigate the practical suitability and potential of the eHighway system under real conditions on freeways. Experience will be gathered with the integration of the system into the existing road space, energy supply, traffic management and logistics. The research results will be used to derive policy recommendations.

Interdisciplinary research in the FESH joint project

The Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences is involved in the interdisciplinary field test as a research partner with three professorships. In addition to evaluating the technical behavior of the overall system, traffic psychology and ecological assessments of the field test are also being carried out. Finally, a potential reduction in emissions will be evaluated on the basis of an environmental balance sheet.

In the field of systems engineering, the Chair of Electric Railways investigates the technical behavior of the overhead line system and its interfaces. In addition, technical and economic analyses are carried out on the expansion of technology.

"We are researching how overhead lines can be technically migrated into the road traffic system and integrated into the transport and logistics market," explains Professor Arnd Stephan, holder of the Chair of Electric Railways.

The Chair of Road Planning and Road Design is conducting a traffic engineering and traffic psychology evaluation of the field test. The influences of the overhead lines on the driving behavior of other road users, in particular of speed, lane and distance behavior, will be investigated.

Finally, an overall ecological assessment by the Chair of Transport Ecology will evaluate the operation and construction of the overhead line system in terms of climate protection, air quality, noise levels, resource consumption and nature conservation.

Current measurement campaign at the Faculty of Transport and Traffic Sciences

In cooperation with the Chair of Automobile Engineering at TU Dresden, so-called roll-out tests are being carried out to investigate the driving dynamics of the overhead line trucks. The results will be used for a simulation model with which the overall eHighway system will be examined in technology expansion scenarios.

The Scania overhead line truck will be equipped with measurement technology at the Vehicle Test Center at TU Dresden until the end of this week before the test vehicle is transferred to the test track at the Siemens site in GroßDölln.

eHighway Schleswig-Holstein FESH

The Field Test eHighway Schleswig-Holstein is one of three pilot projects in Germany in which the use of overhead line trucks in real operation is being researched for several years. The aim of the field trial is to evaluate the system technically, ecologically, economically and from a traffic point of view in order to provide politicians with a basis for decisions on possible expansion. Further information: https://ehighway-sh.de/en/