Electric Road Systems
Road administrations around the world are struggling to come to terms with the introduction of EVs and how best to support this transition. One method of supporting this is by utilising dynamic charging or Electric Road Systems (ERS).
There are different types of ERS technology being developed, which will require the participation of the road owners for deployment. Therefore there is a growing need for independent and robust assessment of existing and emerging on-road charging technologies and their implications.
The key objective of this project was to extend TRL’s knowledge and expertise of the impacts of on-road charging technology on the road network. There is a need for road administrations to understand the types of ERS being developed, what the technology means for the UK road network and what role they will need to play in implementation. This study determined the technology readiness levels (TRLs) of various ERS technologies, assessed their potential benefits and limitations, and improved our understanding of road infrastructure impacts. Initially, this project focused on the UK, but much of this understanding is applicable to other countries.
Published Project Report: PPR875
Modelling the impact of electric vehicles on road networks
Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) offers a viable means of charging electric vehicles (EV)s whilst in a dynamic state (DWPT). To date, the behavioural aspects of such a scenario has received little analysis. To address this knowledge gap, this research seeks to quantify the potential benefits of WPT systems, identify optimal deployment scenarios, and create a simulation model to analyse the detailed interaction of users from the perspective of energy demand (using interurban and urban use cases).
The research will provide insight into the scale of infrastructure required to implement full-scale WPT systems, and provide evidence to raise consumer confidence to move away from fossil fuel technologies towards electric vehicles.
