Evaluation method for development of electric road system network in Sweden – an analysis within the Feasibility study E22-project

This report is the result of the work package on Evaluation method within the project “Feasibility study of the electric road system pilot E22”. The original objective with the work package was to describe an evaluation method for the introduction of electric road systems. Important objectives for electric road system (ERS) projects and parameters for measuring goal achievement and, customer satisfaction was to be defined. The results are based on documentation from comparable infrastructure projects, workshops and interviews with stakeholders and project partners. The method was kept as originally outlined but instead of identifying objectives, which can depend on the actor that initiates/is the owner of the ERS, we have taken the existing framework and the processes for evaluation of large-scale infrastructure projects that is already established as the starting point. The existing processes and methods are described at the Swedish Transport Administrations websites for industry. The evaluation process is done according to established calculation and evaluation tools with corresponding manuals. The project has focused on identifying parameters that are unique to ERS or of specific importance for the outcome of an ERS project. Consideration was taken to the fact that ERS is a new technology and that there are knowledge gaps especially for the implementation and operational phases that needs to be filled. For these phases extra evaluations could give important feedback during the development of a larger ERS network. The study has not assumed a specific technology for implementation or for the transmission of electricity to the vehicles, i.e., neither overhead line nor road based. The results from this work package shows that there is an existing framework for evaluations that can be used, and many important parameters are already included in this framework. Some additions to the framework´s methods and tools of parameters specific for ERS needs to be done. Examples of parameters for which new evaluation tools need to be developed and included in the existing framework include: • profitability from a business perspective and in comparison, to other alternatives, • climate impact from a life cycle perspective that also includes the vehicle and fuels/energy used for propulsion and • the optimal level of the user fee from a socioeconomic perspective. How often follow-ups are made also needs to be adjusted in the existing framework. Follow-ups needs to be done more frequently and more parameters needs to be evaluated. There is also a need for a learning process and knowledge sharing framework to enable a fast enrollment of electric road systems in a cost-efficient way. Additional evaluations are also required for ERS since it is new technology that has not been implemented on a large scale. Examples of such parameters include operational and maintenance for ERS, accidents, noise, emissions of particulates, impact on plant and animal life, electromagnetic fields and electromagnetic compatibility. As a next step to develop the evaluation methods for the build-out of ERS we recommend to using the first permanent stretch being built between Örebro and Hallsberg to develop a learning process framework and a process for knowledge sharing of planning, procurement and building of ERS. At this first permanent stretch, parameters with uncertainty should also be evaluated. A direct continuation of this project would also be to connect the results from the work-packages on evaluation and upscaling to quantify uncertain parameters to better evaluate their real importance.

S3-projektet handlar om att testa delade, elektrifierade och automatiserade skyttelbussar för att demonstrera hur dessa nya transportlösningar kan stimulera och stödja en förtätning av staden.Inom projektet har stadsutvecklare, näringsliv, akademi och offentlig sektor samlats för att gemensamt utforma och prova nya mobilitetskoncept för den första- och sista kilometern av resan. Rapporten beskriver den första fasen av projektet, från maj 2017 till och med december 2019, där skyttelbussarna testats vid Lindholmen Science Park, Chalmers campus Johanneberg samt i Härryda centrum. För att stärka projektet har arbete även utförts kring kompletterande mobilitetstjänster, öppen innovation, utvärdering, affärsmodell, färdplan, molninfrastruktur samt event och kommunikation kopplat till initiativet. Efter utmanande processer av projektering och tillståndsansökan lyckades testerna genomföras på vad som av teknik- och fordonsleverantörerna ansågs vara den mest utmanande rutten i världen som dessa fordon hittills kört på. Samtidigt är mognadsgraden för teknik och helhetstjänst fortfarande relativt låg, och kombinerat med givna säkerhetsprioriteringar lämnas en del att önska vad gäller grundläggande parametrar som hastighet och komfort. Dessutom innebär nuvarande tillståndskrav på säkerhetsoperatör ombord på fordonen begränsningar vad gäller till exempel hållbara affärsmodeller och möjligheten att studera vissa användarförhållanden. Tack till medverkande parter och finansiärer med ett särskilt tack till Vinnova, Drive Sweden och Lindholmen Science Park som gjort detta projekt möjligt. Tack till Transportstyrelsen, Trafikkontoret, Polisen och Chalmersfastigheter för snabba beslutsvägar och till Atrium Ljungberg för lånet av garageplats. Slutligen önskar projektet rikta ett stort tack till samtliga som varit med och testat skyttlarna.

Without experiences of electric buses, public transport authorities and bus operators have faced questions about how to implement them in a cost-effective way. Simple cost modelling cannot show how costs for different types of electric buses differ between different routes and timetables. Tools (e.g., HASTUS, PtMS, and optibus) which can analyse such details are complicated, time consuming to use, and provide insufficient insights into the mechanisms that influence the cost. This paper therefore proposes a method for how to calculate total cost of ownership, for different types of electric buses, in a way which can predict how the cost varies based on route and timetable. The method excludes factors which cause minor cost variations in an almost random manor, in order to better show the fundamental mechanisms influencing different costs. The method will help in finding ways to reduce the cost and help to define a few cases which deserve a deep analysis with more complete tools. Testing of the method in a Swedish context showed that the results are in line with other theoretical and practical studies, and how the total cost of ownership can vary depending on the variables. © 2020 by the authors.

A user acceptance questionnaire study was carried out during the first phase of the Shared Shuttle Services (S3) pilot project in Gothenburg Sweden. Autonomous vehicles in the form of shuttle buses (AV shuttles) embody three major developments in transportation: mobility solutions that are electrified, shared, and automated. The adoption of these three developments is closely connected to the UN SDG (11) Sustainable cities and communities and in order to achieve any broader societal benefits, it is crucial to understand and address user acceptance and adoption of these services in real-life settings. The questionnaire included attitudinal and context specific questions, resulting in overall high ratings except for perceived speed and comfort. Still, the main reasons for not wanting to use the AV shuttle services could be linked to performance expectancy, route reasons and effort expectancy. Future implementations of AV shuttles will need to address this in order to expect any widespread adoption. 

Based on an existing tool for analyzing the viability and cost effectiveness of different electric bus systems, the extension to other types of transportation is discussed. Similarities and dissimilarities are explored, the implications on the analysis tool in general and on its principal components are described, and the implementation of support for refuse collection is reported. Besides route- and timetable data, relatively few and minor issues need to be considered.

This paper is an update on a method to analyze and compare electric bus and charging systems from a totalcost perspective. The method is useful for proposing a suitable combination of bus and charger systemsdepending on the route specifications, timetables and other local conditions. In this update, a user-friendlytool which simplifies the analysis process is presented. The analysis tool enables the user to experimentallyinvestigate and quantify the trade-offs between parameters such as battery size, charging strategies andcharging infrastructure, vehicle fleet and operational costs from a total cost perspective.

Shared mobility solutions consisted of an electric bike pool, an electric car pool, and electric taxi servicewas assumed to enable similar mobility flexibilities as owning a car. The concept was tested in Gothenburgfor about a year in the local ELMOB project. This article focuses on the feasibility of the electric taxi aspart of the shared mobility package. Both customers’ and drivers’ perspective were studied regardingchanges in their behavior and fulfillment of their mobility needs. Data collected from the vehicles showvehicle performance, usage patterns and charging behavior of the drivers. The results imply that policy andregulations which favor electric taxis are crucial for enabling electric taxis at a larger scale

The most important location for charging of electric vehicles is nearby the household. Access to a charging point is in general possible for people who own their car park, but could be more complicated for residents in multifamily dwellings. A case study was conducted with the aim to develop a common strategy for charging of electric vehicles in the proximity of multifamily dwellings in the city of Gothenburg. The suggested policies align with the city's local aims and do not hinder future densification or high utilization of parking areas.

This paper presents a method developed to analyze a complete electric bus system including electricity supply infrastructure, charging system, buses' energy system and scheduling. This method can give an understanding of what kind of electric bus system that is the most cost-effective based on local conditions such as transport demand and type of electricity infrastructure available. It is being used as a tool in planning and construction of future public transport systems.

In this paper, we describe a simulation study aimed at investigating whether a momentary limitation of the tram power-output can be effective in reducing current overload, while maintaining the tram performance at an acceptable level. The study was performed on a single-fed tram section in Gothenburg, Sweden. The simulation results indicate that an adaptive power output limitation, which is only activated when the current and current derivative is above certain limits, is effective in reducing current peaks, while still maintaining required tram performance. Thus, this method could be used to reduce or eliminate power failure on the tram net, without causing unacceptable tram delay.