The Gebert Rüf Foundation supports another BFH project

The transport sector is responsible for 32% of carbon emissions in Switzerland. That’s why the Swiss Confederation’s Energy Strategy 2050 envisages the complete electrification of passenger and freight transport by 2050 as part of the net-zero target. This transition presents various challenges for large vehicles like buses and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). Fully-electric e-buses and e-HGVs cannot yet match the performance of fuel-powered vehicles, in particular due to their lower ranges. The electrification of commercial vehicle fleets also involves meeting major requirements in terms of the charging infrastructure and public distribution network. To facilitate the electrification of large vehicle fleets in future, Emanuel Hadjikan from BFH’s Energy Storage Research Centre is developing a new software tool as part of the ‘eMobility+’ project. The project is being funded by both industrial partners and the Gebert Rüf Foundation through the ‘First Ventures’ funding programme. This programme is aimed at bachelor’s and master’s students at universities of applied sciences who develop an innovative business idea in their thesis, and provides them with the opportunity to translate their idea into new products or services.

Software combines technical aspects and operational parameters

The idea behind the new software tool is to enable operators of large vehicle fleets to plan sustainably and to optimise electric vehicles and the relevant infrastructure. Technical aspects (energy supply, batteries, electricity production) plus operational parameters (range, charging times) and development scenarios are being integrated into a software tool for the first time. This enables efficient planning of vehicle deployment and the analysis and optimisation of battery operating conditions. Vehicle recharging is coordinated with vehicle deployment, minimising vehicle and infrastructure requirements and the impact on operational aspects. The software prototype was developed by Emanuel Hadjikan for his bachelor thesis and will enable the sustainable electrification of the city of Biel’s bus network by 2030.