eHighway – Electrification of road freight transport

Road freight transport powered by electricity: Siemens’ eHighway system combines the efficiency of electrified railroads with the flexibility of trucks into an innovative freight traffic solution that is efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly.

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eHighway

Reduce truck operating costs and emissions

Implementing eHighway on the core highways creates a backbone solution for energy efficient, low cost, zero emission trucking that is complementary with other drive trains, fuels and transportation technology trends (e.g. automated or high-capacity vehicles). The eHighway system is applicable for various use cases.
Siemens’ eHighway: a contribution to a transport sector independent of fossil fuels.
eHighway for high frequency shuttle transport

Shuttle transport

Heavily-used truck routes, for example from ports to freight and distribution centres, are often a burden on the environment. In these situations, the eHighway system produces a significant reduction in pollutant and CO2 emissions. At the same time, the economic benefits of the system are felt particularly quickly on these high-use routes.

  • Solution for high frequency shuttle transport over short and medium distances (< 50 km), i.e. in ports or industrial areas
  • Lower fuel consumption and longer lifetime
  • Reduction of air and noise pollution
eHighway for electrified mine transport

Electrified freight transport in mines

The eHighway is an ideal way to connect pits and mines with warehouses, transshipment points or processing plants. The economic benefits of the eHighway system can be easily calculated on the basis of transport volumes. At the same time, the eHighway system significantly reduces environmental pollution and dependence on fossil fuels.

  • Connection of pits and mines to storage or transit locations
  • Minimization of harmful emissions
  • Sustainable, clean and economical mine operation
eHighway for electrified long-haul traffic

Electrified long-haul traffic

The eHighway system is based on a safe and proven infrastructure to provide a continuous energy supply to heavy commercial vehicles. It can be integrated and operated within the existing road infrastructure without significant effort and combines the efficiency of electrified railroads with the flexibility of trucks, halving energy consumption while maintaining full mobility. The eHighway system enables trucks to use renewable energy and can contribute significantly to reducing CO2 emissions. Both the ecological and economic advantages of the eHighway system grow with increased use of the route.

  • Economical and sustainable alternative for road freight transport
  • Significant reduction of CO2 emissions
  • Substantial cost savings for freight carriers

How eHighway works

Energy supply

The energy supply system is based on proven technology from the world of railroad electrification. The two-pole catenary system ensures a reliable energy supply for the eHighway truck. The catenary system leads to a level contact wire that enables stable current transmission, even at high speeds. The overhead contact lines are supplied with energy from substations equipped with:

  • Medium voltage switchgear
  • Power transformers
  • Rectifiers

Controlled inverters (for feedback of the electric energy generated by the vehicles’ regenerative braking).

Pantograph

The active pantograph transmits the energy from the overhead contact lines to the electric motor of the eHighway truck. The pantograph can be easily connected to and disconnected from the contact wire at speeds  ranging from 0 to 90 km/h. This is done either automatically or manually at the push of a button. Steering an eHighway truck connected to the overhead contact lines is no different to driving a diesel truck, as the active pantograph compensates for any shifts in position within the lane. The pantograph automatically disconnects in the event of evasive maneuvers or if the  indicators are used.

Hybrid drive

On electrified routes, the electric motors in eHighway trucks are powered via the overhead contact lines and the active pantograph. For remaining sections of road, the eHighway truck has a hybrid drive. There are no restrictions on the type of hybrid drive: depending on the application and customer requirements, serial and parallel concepts with internal combustion engines, battery solutions, fuel cells etc. can all be implemented. The electric motors of the eHighway trucks also enable recovery of the vehicle’s braking energy.

eHighway. Benefits and highlights:

  • Innovative freight traffic solution
  • Combines efficiency of electrified railroads with flexibility of trucks
  • Economical and environmentally friendly
  • Applicable for various use cases: Shuttle transport, Electrified freight transport in mines, Electrified long-haul traffic
  • Consists of three core elements: the energy supply, the pantograph, and hybrid drive technology

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References

eHighway

The eHighway system is twice as efficient as conventional internal combustion engines. The Siemens innovation supplies trucks with power from an overhead contact line – and is already used in Sweden and the USA.
Hesse
Germany

First eHighway in Germany

  • Installation of an overhead contact line system for electrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of public autobahn for the customer Hessen Mobil

  • Field testing of the eHighway system up to 2022, together with research partner TU Darmstadt and green electricity provider entega

  • Scania supplying five overhead line hybrid trucks for this project, with a total of 15 being provided for German field testing

More Information
Scania trucks
Sweden

Siemens builds first eHighway in Sweden

  • Two kilometer demonstration on a public road between industry centre and port for two years

  • Overall aim is to evaluate Electric Road System options prior to introduction on road network

  • Cooperation with Scania trucks

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Volvo trucks
USA

USA – Port Application

  • One mile demonstration as connection to near-dock rail terminals for cargo vehicles for at least half a year

  • Primary goal is to promote the implementation of zero emission goods movement technologies  

  • Cooperation with Volvo trucks and local truck converter

Press Feature

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News

News

Berlin

BDI sees eHighway to achieve climate targets

Construction of overhead contact lines on 2.500 km of the core autobahn network by 2030
Berlin

BDI study supports eHighway

The German industry association BDI released a major study on how to reach Germany’s climate goals in the most cost-effective way. In the heavy goods transport segment the report sees 4.000-8.000 km of overhead contact lines for hybrid trucks as an important part of the solution!
Long Beach

Siemens demonstrates first eHighway system in the U.S.

Siemens and the "South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)" are running a one-mile, zero-emission eHighway demonstration in the Californian city of Carson, U.S., near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Three trucks hauling freight are running along the stretch of highway which uses Siemens technology to electrify select highway lanes via an overhead catenary system.
Wilmington

External ICCT study supports eHighway

There is a recent study from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) again confirming electrified roads as the technology option with the greatest reductions at the lowest cost.
Kuppenheim

Third German field trial announced

The German Ministry of Environment has announced a third eHighway field trial in the federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg.
Munich

Siemens builds eHighway in Germany

Siemens has been commissioned by the German state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line for electrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn.
Paris

IEA report strongly recommends eHighway for a Modern Truck Scenario

The analysis of International Energy Agencies (IEA) report “Future of Trucks” leads to a recommendation for a “Modern Truck Scenario” where 36% of the world’s heavy freight trucks are catenary-enabled.
Berlin

BDI sees eHighway to achieve climate targets

Construction of overhead contact lines on 2.500 km of the core autobahn network by 2030
Brussels

T&E report forecasts 40-60% of eHighway trucks

The Transport & Environment agency published a report where it is stated that “by 2050 40-60% of highway trucks could be eHighway trucks”.
Leipzig

eHighway Truck at the International Transport Forum Summit

The eHighway truck was presented at the International Transport Forum Summit 2017 in Leipzig, where Siemens also organized a side event “Electrified roads for HDVs: Lessons from demo and next steps”.
Berlin

German transport ministry acknowledges the high energy efficiency

The German transport ministry has also acknowledged the high energy efficiency of an overhead contact line solution as well as the potential for a large scale system to be an economical way of significantly reducing GHG emissions.
Gross-Doelln

German Minister for the Environment visiting eHighway test track

The German Minister for the Environment, Ms. Barbara Hendricks, visited our Berlin test track. She stated that overhead contact lines could play an important role in the decarbonising of freight transport. She also added that the funding of a large scale system was, relative to the 270bn EUR already committed to funding transport infrastructure in Germany, not an major issue.
Paris

New IEA study supports eHighway

The potential of this technology to work at large scale has also gotten the support of the International Energy Agency. In a published report they wrote “By 2050 nearly 50% of trucks would be electric and a large number of motorways would be equipped with electrified overhead (catenary) lines since batteries alone do not support long-haul journeys.” 
Brussels

IRU lists that road electrification is the most significant lever for 2050 goals

The International Road transport Union (IRU), representing the commercial road users of the world, e.g. trucking companies, published a report called “the Commercial Vehicle of the Future” which listed road electrification as the most significant lever to reach the 2050 emission reduction goals and stated that 40-45% of long haul road freight needed to run on renewable electricity by that year.
Stockholm

Joint governmental declaration between Germany and Sweden

Angela Merkel and Sweden’s Prime Minister Stefan Löfven issued a joint declaration where they “work together to enhance eHighway technology, identify means for cross-border operability between Sweden and Germany and campaign at European level for the wider spread of this technology.”
Berlin

Two eHighway field trials in Germany announced

Germany has announced two field trials of the eHighway system, in the federal states of Hesse and Schleswig-Holstein respectively.
Berlin

New external study shows economical advantages of eHighway

Strong support comes from a study published by the German Federal Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) showed that overhead contact lines and hybrid trucks were by far the cheapest way of achieving a fully decarbonized long haul road freight sector by 2050 (cost of alternatives were 2x-3x higher).

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eHighway from Siemens

Siemens’ eHighway system combines the efficiency of electrified railroads with the flexibility of trucks into an innovative freight traffic solution that is efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly.

Learn more about how eHighway can be adapted to your requirements

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