Siemens Mobility and Continental Engineering Services are testing pantographs to power cargo trucks on Germany’s autobahns.
The overhead powerlines – similar to those used for trams and other light rail services – could be key for reducing the huge amounts of CO2 generated by lorries.
“Highway freight transport plays a central role in the fight against climate change. In Germany, it accounts for one-third of all the CO2 emissions in the transport sector. Truck manufacturers are pursuing various concepts to reduce this burden. With its eHighway, Siemens Mobility has already developed a ready-to-use technology for energy-efficient, cost-effective and emission-free truck transport that can be combined with other drive systems to become the backbone for fighting climate change in this sector,” says Michael Peter, CEO of Siemens Mobility.
The new pantographs would mean that trucks can operate completely electrically and at the same time charge their batteries without using fuel. “At Continental, we’re applying the principle of rail electrification to the highway. The pantographs will be further developed and manufactured to meet automotive standards. The partnership between Siemens Mobility and Continental Engineering Services marks a major step toward achieving climate-neutral freight transport,” explains Dr. Christoph Falk-Gierlinger, CEO of Continental Engineering Services.
The overhead powerlines are currently being tested on three public roads in Germany: the A5 autobahn between Frankfurt and Darmstadt, on the A1 autobahn between Reinfeld and Lübeck, and on the B462 between Kuppenheim and Gaggenau.
These tests form part of an initiative from the Germany Federal Ministry of Transport which is recommending that the most heavily driven 4,000 kilometres of autobahns be equipped with pantographs by 2030. According to the Transport Ministry, two-thirds of the fuel consumption of long-distance lorry transport happens on that 4,000 kilometre stretch of the 13,000-kilometre autobahn network.
However, by 2023, pantographs will become a more common site for German motorists. Overhead powerlines are set to be deployed in so-called “innovation clusters” around the country.
Keyword: Siemens and Continental Join Forces in Autobahn Pantograph Pilot