Major Project Finds E-Mobility Feasible for Large Cities

The study cologne E-Mobil has released its initial findings revealing that electric cars are suitable and practical for everyday use in urban areas. Contrary to popular sentiments, they were also found to be less expensive than gas-powered cars even as Germany moves away from nuclear energy towards renewables.

According to Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, a professor at the University Duisburg-Essen (UDE) and the project's spokesman: "Electric mobility is feasible today for large cities and just makes sense."

Underway since 2010 in the western German city of Cologne, the intensive research conducted by 15 departments at UDE shows that concerns over the scope, cost, power consumption or overloading of the electric grid pertaining to the use of electric cars in large cities are actually unfounded.

Funded by the Federal Ministry of Transport, the research conducted by 50 university academics together with the auto manufacturer Ford, energy provider RheinEnergie and the City of Cologne is set to continue through the fall.

Driving simulations

Detailed traffic analysis, real tests and extensive simulations with real data extrapolated to 33,370 electric cars per day driven virtually through the city's streets – equivalent to 10 percent of Cologne's passenger car volume – have resulted in important findings.

On average, an electric car would cover 30 kilometes (19 miles) and around three trips would be made per day. A battery of 20 kilowatt hours would then be sufficient for at least four days. "That's enough for city traffic because the lithium-ion batteries currently used in electric vehicles hold up to 25 kilowatt hours," says Dieter Schramm, chair of the mechatronics department which is simulating the driving component of the project.

No new network needed

Electric cars are also suitable for large cities in other ways. Researchers found that a new and costly infrastructure was actually not necessary, as cars were able to be charged with normal outlets available at home or work.

Likewise, the existing power grid would not need to be upgraded because power would be predominantly tapped at off-peak times, like at night, meaning the fuel that's tapped would not overburden the network.

"(A total of) 33,370 cars need 56,575 megawatt hours per year. That's 3.2 percent of the entire energy consumption of private households in Cologne," said road construction and transport expert Jörg Schönharting. Alternative vehicles would also benefit the climate, according to Schönharting: "Depending on the driving conditions, CO2 emissions in the city could be reduced by 35 to 70 percent."

E-mobility compatible with renewables

Researchers also found that the abandonment of nuclear energy would not have major consequences for electric mobility, as the power consumption is too low even if power costs significantly increased.

According to Dudenhöffer the balance is clear: "If one takes as a basis 24 cents per kilowatt and an annual mileage of 15,000 kilometers (9,320 miles), the cost of electricity per year for a compact electric car is 622 Euros."

A comparable gas-powered car costs more than two and a half times as much, at 1.50 Euros per liter of gas the costs would come to 1,597 Euros per year. "Even if electricity prices rose by 25 percent, the annual cost to charge an electric car would still be half the price of a gas-powered car. And that doesn’t even take into account steadily rising gas prices," Dudenhöffer added.

Germany.info