Technology: Trains as charging stations for e-cars

The comfort of long-distance driving without the need to take the wheel in your hands on the one hand and the flexibility and uniqueness of car traffic on the other: the FFG-financed exploratory project is trying to find out both. worlds “RailCharge” gathered together. According to the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe Graz researchers, the e-cars cover most of their journey on the train, and during the journey they use the rail power supply and also the braking energy of the train to charge the battery. The first and last kilometers are then easily covered by the battery.

According to the concept of the project team, this will also solve the expected high load on the power grid in the future due to the increase in electric vehicles: “Suppose people go home in the evening and want to quickly charge tens of thousands of vehicles at the same time. This puts pressure on the power grid,” he explained. We have, which is currently suffering anyway due to the expansion of capricious sources.” Armin Buchrothener from the Institute of Electrical Measurement Technology and Sensors at the Graz University of Technology. However, if the train network can be used during a train journey, the expected loads can be better controlled and predicted as well, says the researcher, who is leading the project at Graz University of Technology. “If you add the rolling resistance and air per ton kilometer or one passenger, you’ll also be more efficient with a train,” says Bucherwethner.

for longer distances

As part of the project, the project team explored with traffic planning company verkehrplus which applications the “RailCharge” concept would make most sense: According to TU, there should already be some potential for holiday trains, generally longer routes around three hours or more, or rail work . However, for shorter distances, the solution is unlikely to be very promising with current options and conservative charging technology due to the journey to the terminal and the loading and unloading times. This is set to change in the future thanks to new wagon designs and advanced freight technology.

Some technical solutions have already been developed or at least designed: in collaboration with the project partner, Space Link from Graz, a cargo solution has been created in which the adjustable trunk on the underside of the car is lowered onto a pallet on the floor of the train car. As a result, there is no splicing or hard wiring, which limits the risk of damage to the vehicle due to movements during a train journey – such as rubbing against paintwork.

New wagons

The trolley architecture has also been rethought with SSC Railtech, where not only freight technology must be accommodated, but vehicles must be loaded and unloaded as quickly, flexibly and automatically as possible. Tunnel excursions at the desired high speeds must also be considered, because without an enclosed trolley design, cars could be damaged entering the tunnel portal due to the air pressure that builds up. Another partner on board, Rail Competence Certification GmbH RCC, has experience in the field of certification.

The next step will be to implement the concepts and sub-projects in reality: “What I personally have in mind is a technical demonstration in the form of a cart traveling on a test track. Perhaps it is also a road with a border crossing. The main goal is to show that it is possible,” Bucherwethner said Compounds of different topologies are loaded onto the rails and they arrive fully charged.” As a pilot project, for example, he was considering a trip from Vienna to Dresden or Leipzig.