At Qamcom Research and Technology AB, we have designed and tested an innovative solution for the Electric Road System (ERS). Our Pantograph’s Active Control System (PACS) enables fast communication between the energy source and trucks, and proves to be an invaluable component for the future of this disruption in transport and logistics.
Two common and safety critical problems in all ERS concepts are how to, at maintained highway speeds of 90km/h, guide the vehicle into the entry point position of the Electric Road, and then connect the vehicle to the electric power source by an electric current collector, either by an overhead pantograph or by a connector device under the vehicle.
While this solution is currently being tested in a specific system implementation, the PACS solution is relevant for all electric roads, where vehicles must accurately locate and communicate with an energy source at high speeds.
The PACS is the key enabling technology to make electric roads a reality in the near future, ensuring sustainable and lower cost transportation. Electric road systems is a cost efficient way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, particles, and fossile fuel dependency.
The objectives of the feasibility study were the following:
• Understand if PACS can satisfy the need for an Automatic Guidance and Activation Control System in all Electric Road System (ERS) concepts that are under development right now. What are the needs for Automatic Guidance? What are the needs for Activation?
• Study the routes to break into the market through the leading ERS concept introduced commercially, and how to adapt our business in the expanding Electric Road market. Questions asked are: What is the level of maturity of each ERS? What are the plausible expansion scenarios for ERS? What are the key drivers behind an expansion of ERS? Which are the competing systems to PACS? What is our competitive edge?
• Develop a plan for interaction and communication with likely customers of PACS and key stakeholders. Who are the likely customers of PACS? What will they buy? (e.g. complete systems, radar transponders, decoding Software?) Who are the stakeholders in the technical development, implementation and expansion of ERS? What are their roles? How can we interact?
Perform a technical Gap Analysis – From TRL 6 to final product. Questions to be answered: Which are the main driving requirements (key success features) of PACS? How can we scale the prototype with respect to cost, production volume, safety and functional requirements?
• Plot the route to market for PACS. Which are our key commercial assets? How do we market complete PACS systems? Through which channels? Qamcom catenary detection radars? Radar transponders? Software Licenses? What is the business forecast? Profit and loss?
• Develop a risk analysis for our market entry. Which are the major risks? Can be reduce and mitigate them?
The feasibility study allowed us to draw the following conclusions:
The value proposition of implementing the ERS concept includes economic benefits and alleviating environmental impact. Of the latter, currently 20% of all EU carbon dioxide emissions comes from road transports, and 6% of all EU carbon dioxide emissions comes from heavy vehicles. A massive deployment of Electric Roads in western Europe could reduce the CO2 emissions with 6 Million tonnes annually
A massive deployment of Electric Roads will require extensive public funding, spearheaded by engagement and lobbying from large ERS Providers & Integrators (our customer). The cost effectiveness for public funding of Catenary Electric Road is more or less on par with Wind Power regarding the cost to reduce emissions, and will in addition reduce noise, particles and NOx.
All ERS systems require a solution for safe guidance into the entry point of the electric road. An Automatic Activation Control System, such as PACS, is the solution. Currently we are in a unique position to offer this. The radar and transponder software will be our main IP in the Automatic Activation Control. The transponder system will meet the requirements of a low-latency guidance system.
We have identified areas needs to be of focus for further refinement of PACS, towards a commercial solution.
Further conclusions are confidential and included in the feasibility report.
