E-Mobility Project for the Rhine-Ruhr Model Region

12 March 2010

RWE Effizienz GmbH; Renault Deutschland AG; the automotive engineering research company Forschungsgesellschaft Kraftfahrwesen mbH Aachen (fka); and the Institut für Hochspannungstechnik (High-Voltage Engineering Institute) of RWTH Aachen University will participate in the “E-mobility in commuter traffic” development project for the Rhine-Ruhr Model Region. Coordination is carried out by the project control center, EnergieAgentur.NRW.

The goal of this joint project is to integrate electric mobility into the everyday commuter traffic along the urban nexus of the A40 motorway. With the focus on the towns of Mülheim, Essen and Dortmund, RWE is to construct a comprehensive charging infrastructure by mid-2011. In addition, data will be collected to enable the development of marketable products such as GPS devices with a clear charging station overview and route planning. The project participants hope in this way to drive forward the necessary research and development to facilitate the introduction of electric mobility.

The vehicle fleet consists of 40 Renault pre-production electric vehicles along with 110 converted electric cars that RWE is providing as lease vehicles. Renault is providing models of the Kangoo Express Z.E. utility vehicle and the Fluence Z.E. mid-range family sedan, which is already due for production launch in Europe in 2011, once the project is over. Both models are already capable for market launch of a range of 160 km, and the choice may be made between standard charging and quick charging. In addition, with the Fluence Z.E. empty batteries can be exchanged entirely automatically in just a few minutes for a fully-charged one using the Quick-Drop system.

The RWE lease vehicles, based on the Fiat 500 and Karabag 500 E, are equipped with the lithium-ion batteries. Models based on the Fiat Fiorino are also being used.

On the research side, the project is to be intensively monitored, examined and evaluated.

The BMVBS Electric Mobility in the Model Regions Program is implemented by NOW GmbH (Nationale Organisation Wasserstoff- and Brennstoffzellentechnologie - the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Organisation).

The German Federal Ministry for Traffic, Construction and Urban Development (Bundesministerium für Verkehr, Bau und Stadtentwicklung - BMVBS) supports this particular project, as part of the Electric Mobility for the Model Regions Program, to the tune of approximately €7 million (US$9.6 million).