The Green Emotion initiative started as a four-year programme with a € 42m budget (€ 24m from the EU Commission) to kickstart exploration and development of options for environmentally sensitive urban transport solutions as part of the then European Green Cars Initiative (EGCI) that was launched within the context of the European Recovery Plan.
In the intervening period there have been several initiatives and research projects and strategic plans, academic papers and revised strategic plans in all sectors of the European transport portfolio - from trucks and buses to mass rapid transport and automotive (electric, autonomous etc. etc.) and, not least, the L-Category vehicle industry that includes powered two-wheelers.
While there has been some progress and some promising directions taken, even some concrete results, so far much of it appears to have been primarily successful in simply gobbling up budget while the roads continue to get busier, urban journey times longer and pollution levels higher.
Brussels based ACEM, the international motorcycle industry trade association for Europe, has done excellent work to make sure that motorcycles maintain their hard won, long fought for place on the "approved list" of downtown transport solutions, but turf wars, conflicting messages and competing competencies appear to have made EU Commission progress glacial.
Salzburg Research
However, this year the Salzburg Research (Austria) has released details about a project it is currently working on with KTM Technologies, KTM AG and KISKA (the KTM owned design studio in California) and other partners to "develop new opportunities in the field of light electric mobility" with "environmentally friendly and cost-effective" commuting at its heart.
"So far, e-mopeds have mainly been designed for inner-city traffic. However, their range is not sufficient, especially for commuters in rural or urban areas. New products are intended to close the existing gap between electric mopeds and motorcycles: in the "EMotion" research initiative, eleven partners from industry and science are jointly developing category L electric bicycles especially for the young (16-18 years) and older (50+) generations.
"These cost-effective, energy-efficient and comfortable electric two-wheelers are intended to provide drivers of conventional vehicles with a usable and environmentally friendly alternative with a reduced footprint for their daily commuting. Salzburg Research, together with the Würzburg Institute for Traffic Sciences in Germany, surveyed the needs and acceptance of users with regard to these new electric two-wheelers and the associated potential for interaction with the two-wheeler.
"Due to their low weight, they offer excellent driving performance and, in relation to currently available and comparable vehicles, efficient and optimised use of resources. Users benefit from an innovative, user-centred human-machine interface, an integrated information system and a completely new mobility experience.
Modular architecture and improved usability
"To achieve this, the weaknesses of current electric two-wheelers are eliminated in EMotion. A modular, scalable and highly efficient architecture for electric drivetrains and batteries should significantly reduce manufacturing and maintenance costs. Numerous technologies are used that maximise the energy efficiency of electric two-wheelers and [improve] the driving experience of electric two-wheelers through better stability and handling of the vehicle - the user-friendliness for environmentally friendly driving is made easier by a human-machine interface.
"The concept pursued in EMotion is based on an extensive portfolio of technological solutions in the areas of innovative lightweight construction and component arrangement, highly efficient electrical drive and charging components as well as a user-oriented human-machine interface together with a new on-board information system.
Eight-month field test in Salzburg
"In order to demonstrate the synergetic potential of these solutions, Salzburg Research 2022 will organise and evaluate an eight-month pilot phase with two demonstrators in both the urban and rural areas in the Salzburg area, which will serve as the basis for an evaluation of the implemented demonstrators and their innovative drivers and in-vehicle interaction concepts."
So, more research then! The project duration will be 36 months and started in March 2020 with projected cost of € 6.3m, € 3.0m of which is being funded by the Climate and Energy Fund (KLIEN). Project management will be by the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH with project partners, including …
KTM Technologies GmbH, www.ktm-technologies.com
KISKA GmbH, www.kiska.com
KTM AG, www.ktmgroup.com
WIVW Würzburger Institut für Verkehrswissenschaften GmbH, www.wivw.de
Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft GmbH, www.salzburgresearch.at
FH Upper Austria Research and Development GmbH, www.fh-ooe.at
NUMERICA GmbH & Co KG, www.numerica.at
Graz University, Durability and Rail Vehicle Technology Institute, www.tugraz.at
Daxner & Merl GmbH, www.daxner-merl.com
Kobleder GmbH, www.kobleder.at
www.salzburgresearch.at
