Events
Mobility congress: E for energy, energy turnaround, electric car, electrification, emissions
07.03.2024
In Lucerne, representatives from business, politics and academia discussed what is needed for a successful energy and mobility transition. At the heart of it all is Mobility, with the “V2X Suisse” pilot project and an electric car in the conference hall.
Since 2017, the Mobility Congress has offered around 300 interested parties a platform for discussion and exchange. The 2024 edition at the Swiss Museum of Transport attracted record attendance. In addition to a well-stocked conference hall, around 60 participants listened to speakers from the worlds of business, politics and science via stream. The theme of this Wednesday afternoon was energy. E such as energy, energy transition, electric cars, electrification or emissions. But even further down the alphabet, there were terms that accompanied the afternoon: photovoltaics, climate targets, mobility, sustainability, electricity and transport. Conclusion: It takes everyone for the energy and mobility transition to succeed.
Mobility’s pilot project is both stimulating and challenging
It takes everyone. A motto that fits in with Mobility’s status quo. Mobility CEO Roland Lötscher introduced visitors to the “V2X Suisse” project. Over the past year and a half, Mobility has been testing the operational feasibility of bidirectional charging in regular car sharing operations. Here you will find out everything you need to know about the pilot project in which 50 Mobility cars across Switzerland both absorb and release electricity. The project is about to be completed and the suitability of the technology for car sharing will be assessed in the coming months. The final report is expected in July. At the congress, Lötscher revealed initial findings from Mobility’s point of view:
Bidirectional e-car sharing seems possible
The technical feasibility has been proven
The process chain works
The project passes the SwissGrid prequalification
The “V2X Suisse” project attracts interest, inspires others and challenges
Bidirectional charging is seen as the future of e-mobility. If you want to know more about how far Switzerland is in this regard, read our Q&A with e-mobility expert Volker Fröse.
The learning curve is steep
Mobility is not only playing a pioneering role in V2X Suisse. “We want to electrify the entire fleet – around 3,000 vehicles – by 2030.” The biggest hurdle to a fossil-free fleet? “Providing the infrastructure,” says Roland, adding: “Every electrified car park involves intensive discussions and a lot of work. Electrification is a major feat and we are dependent on the right framework conditions on this challenging path.” Nevertheless, the Mobility boss is confident about the future: “The processes are intensive, but the learning curve is extremely steep.”
Find out here, which is why it takes around six months before Mobility can open an electric parking space.
But Mobility CEO Roland Lötscher’s most important message this afternoon is different. “It is important to me that the areas of mobility and energy come together even more closely and that they are thought about together, because there will be even more interaction in the future. My job is to position Mobility even more strongly in this exciting environment and to communicate our messages. We have an instructive period of change ahead of us, but we never want to forget our core business: car sharing.”
VBL boss Laurent Roux’s biggest wish: A reliable and attractive public transport that encourages people to change trains. Prior to the Mobility Congress, Mobility met with the CEO of the Lucerne Public Transport Authority. In the Interview Roux reveals what he personally contributes to the mobility revolution and why he travels by bus every day.
What is “V2X-Suisse”?
The temporary research project ran operationally from autumn 2022 to spring 2024. Fifty bidirectional Honda e-cars were integrated into Mobility’s regular car sharing system. It was the first large-scale test of bidirectional charging electric cars in Switzerland. It was intended to show how this technology can be used to break peak loads in the power grid and how solar power stations can optimise their own consumption. It also wanted to investigate the business potential of bidirectional vehicles in Switzerland and test the competition between potential flexibility buyers at three grid levels (Swissgrid, distribution grid operators and private consumption alliance).
The final report will be published on ARAMIS (the Federal Administration’s research database) in summer 2024. ARAMIS – The Federal Administration’s research database – Home page (admin.ch)
Conclusion: The project proved the technical feasibility and gave impetus to the bidirectional technology. It showed that in addition to the tried-and-tested V2H (vehicle-to-home), V2 G (vehicle-to-grid) also works technically, both for the grid and the system. However, it is not yet worthwhile for a car sharing company to operate economically.
In addition to Mobility, the following companies were involved in the project: Car manufacturer Honda, Software developer sun2wheel, Charging station developer EVTEC, aggregators tiko, scientific support by novatlantis, in collaboration with the ETH. The project will be supported by the pilot and demonstration programme of the Swiss Federal Office of Energy SFOE support.
Pictures: Fabian Stamm