Smart-Taylored L-category Electric Vehicle demonstration in hEtherogeneous urbanuse-cases

Project Information

STEVE

Grant agreement ID: 769944

DOI

10.3030/769944

Project closed

EC signature date 29 August 2017

Start date 1 November 2017

End date 28 February 2021

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 9 484 981,06

EU contribution

€ 7 429 674,76

Coordinated by

INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
Austria

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - STEVE (Smart-Taylored L-category Electric Vehicle demonstration in hEtherogeneous urbanuse-cases)

Reporting period: 2019-05-01 to 2021-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Growing urbanization, congestion and air pollution in combination with the people’s need for mobility are major challenges of urban areas.
The demand for mobility is changing with and determined by developments arising from intricate interactions of societal, political, technological, environmental, legal and economic trends.
A successful integration of new mobility solutions, such as electrified L-category vehicles (EL-Vs), requires a basic understanding and proof of the individual consumer benefits.
Smaller, lighter and more specialized than other vehicles, EL-Vs have the potential to save users’ time, energy consumption and space required for manoeuvring and parking, in a co-modal vehicle sharing framework. However, they still represent a niche market, mainly due to cost, limited comfort, and lack of public information and direct user experience.
A significant market penetration of EL-Vs will radically change the composition of urban traffic but requires a mind-shift among users/customers – which, proofed to be successfully achieved if the benefits for the individual user of EL-Vs are clear and evident.
STEVE demonstrated a human-centric vision for EL-V-based mobility, using low-cost, connected quadricycles and seamless embedded e-Bike service, for the demonstration of urban electro-Mobility-as-a-Service (eMaaS), with the following four objectives successfully achieved by STEVE project:
O1: Detailed market analysis on EL-Vs and related services
O2: Implementation of new energy-efficiency and customer-oriented services for EL-Vs, based on a gamification approach rewarding the virtuous behaviours of the users
O3: Demonstration of the wide range of EL-V typologies and services
O4: Analysis of the operation of EL-Vs in real scenarios and policy recommendations
Along these objectives, the work carried out focused on the voice of the customer and made use of smart services for comfort. The deployment of STEVE EL-V based mobility services took place in four demonstration cities followed by an assessment of the user experience to formulate recommendations. The summary of results is published in a STEVE White Paper, available for download on the STEVE public homepage (www.steve-project.eu).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

1. Work performed
With focus on EL-Vs, e-Bikes and related services, key aspects (technology, manufacturability, policy measures) for the successful penetration of e-mobility in cities were checked and user profiles identified. Based on energy efficiency criteria routes and infrastructure for the Demonstrations were defined. Together with the driver supporting HMI (eco driving, driver behavior monitoring) the on-board-unit delivered data about energy consumption and range consideration in urban areas. In parallel technical innovation implemented in dedicated test ELVs showed significant potential for improvement in energy consumption as well as for safety issues like stability and side-slipping of light electrical vehicles.
The real operation scenarios differed for each city. Turin explored e-Mobility services for both, individual e-Mobility and for e-Logistics for urban deliveries. Villach concentrated on the commercial e-Bike sharing and rentals in combination with the EL-Vs, as a part of public services. Venaria targeted to raise interest and awareness on e-Mobility aspects. Calvia concentrated on e-Bike sharing and rentals in the mountainous touristic area to show the important role of future touristic e-Mobility services in the region.
The Covid-19 pandemic crisis hit the demonstrations hard but through mitigation measures like changing the target group of users, providing videos for data collection and additional workshops we could reach a valuable database for the data analysis.
Despite the lockdown the project delivered reliable data for evaluation and recommendations presented in a White Paper (www.steve-project.eu)

2. Overview of the results and their exploitation and dissemination
The 4 Demonstrations provided a reliable database for recommendations (STEVE White Paper: www.steve-project.eu) even under Covid-19 restrictions.
STEVE innovation roadmaps for prototype developments:
-Patented inverter (I&M) for in-wheel, near-wheel direct drive and hexa-phase central motor architectures
-Telematics vehicular On Board Unit (OBU-VEM) for over the air communication and external connection
-In-Wheel Motor (Elaphe) implemented and safety goals on PCU achieved, ready for market
-Time-of-Flight (ToF) camera components (IFAT) implemented in the EL-V to detect left behind items and/or vandalism
-SW modules and components for data publication and methodology for data analytics processing (VEM)
-Platform to create regional market places around eMaaS (CISC), backend system (cloud based interface)
Dissemination:
Homepage www.steve-project.eu: 28.800 Visitors - all details in D6.6.
Information was gathered from a large number of stakeholders, experts, end users, workshops and a STEVE Expert Group. Pilot demonstrations in public were accompanied by constant analysis of needs, perception and behavior of end-users. As Covid-19 stopped standard activities, we started online surveys (video) and a weekly quiz about electric vehicles on Facebook.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

1. Progress beyond state of the art and expected results
In WP1 the generated identikit helped to identify the typical STEVE users. WP2 provided the telematics devices, integrated in the vehicles as well as the functionalities of the TSPCC (Telematics Service Provider Control Center) and GPS to gather and store data of each trip, process and provide them via web service to the service providers. The HMI (human-machine-interface) prepared for gamification like incentives. JAC EL-Vs with the new in-wheel motors are showing promising results for optimal energy consumption with a potential 7% energy reduction (simulated in WP3). The STEVE dual inverter is in the validation phase and will be compared versus state-of-the art technologies.
The eMaaS (electro Mobility as a Service) approach works on beyond state-of the art user feedback to evaluate opinions about the service (WP4+WP5).

2. Potential impact
For a positive future vision of ELVs as means of transport, STEVE presented a White Paper (www.steve-project.eu) with the following 4 key aspects.
- A user centric approach – ask first and act based on the feedback.
- An integrated approach has a chance to win – municipalities with their political and legal background and all stakeholders need to share the same vision
- Supply chain orientation – from the provider of the cars, via the infrastructure (not only for loading, but also for maintenance of the vehicles and battery re-usage), to the methods for information sharing, the system for renting and last but not least, the inclusive approach of gamification (usability, shopping, bonus cards)
- An important enabler for eMaaS is an integrated end-to-end information-communication environment

Liaising with the ECSEL Mobility.e Lighthouse initiative and ECAS2030 (Electric Connected Automated Cars invented for the 2030 Consumer) will boost the European impact.

STEVE Poster capture, high resolution available but too big to upload

https://youtu.be/dDHIUwh-BvY