Quicar elektrisch

Quicar elektrisch – Identification of an optimal energetic and economic utilisation concept for eCarSharing operation

Funding: Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi)

Duration: From 2013 to 2015

 

Responsible

  • Isa von Hoesslin

 

Project partner

  • Technische Universität Braunschweig

  • Ostfalia - University of Applied Science

    • Institute of Traffic Management
  • Leibniz Universität Hannover

    • Institute for Drive Systems and Power Electronics
    • Institut für Wirtschaftsinformatik
  • Technische Universität Clausthal

    • Department of Informatics
    • Institute of Management and Economics
  • Automotive Research Centre Niedersachsen (NFF) - Main Office
  • Volkswagen AG

 

Initial Situation and Problem

The successful marketing of eCarSharing is still facing a number of unresolved challenges. Thus, high investments in vehicles and required software, which has to fit eCarSharing needs, have to be made. At the same time knowledge of customer expectations and market development is lacking. Further problems arise from the dimensioning and operation of electric vehicles and the required infrastructure. This concerns the optimization of vehicle components, control and driver assistance systems for short-term use as well as the establishment of an adequate charging infrastructure in (semi-) public areas. Further issues include the development of an adequate charging infrastructure and demand-oriented charging strategies as well as the handling of range limitation. Therefore new approaches, adapted to the framework conditions of CarSharing, are required

 

Objective and Approach

The aim of the project is the reduction of existing barriers to usage of eCarSharing. The identification of a customer-focused, eco-friendly as well as economically sustainable control and utilization concept for electrical vehicles in a CarSharing fleet creates the basis of the project. To achieve this aim approaches and business models for the integration of electric vehicles into the operation of a CarSharing fleet are evaluated and explored. This includes the integration of electric vehicles into the Quicar fleet and the creation of an eCarSharing offer at various urban locations in the “Schaufenster Elektromobilität”. The establishment of a university-specific offer for CarSharing, which enables the Living Lab Campus Mobility an extensive scientific investigation, is of great significance.

The aim of the AIP is to develop and validate operative control mechanisms for the short-term demand/capacity leveling in eCarSharing offers. The basic idea of the control approach consists of the short-term adjustment of booking conditions (prices, availability, non-monetary incentives) to enable a constructive use of electric vehicles in the CarSharing network.