ESCALATE will present its latest project updates in the framework of the upcoming third and last iteration of the IRU-POLIS webinar series, which will take place on 16 April 2024 from 15:00-16:30. The 90-min long online event will shed light on the challenges related to energy infrastructure of long-haul zero-emission freight vehicles. In addition to ESCALATE, the AEVETO cluster project of ZEFES will also present their long-distance tests of battery-electric, hydrogen- and hybrid trucks.
Further information and a registration form is available here.
What to expect?
The road freight transport sector is facing significant challenges to decarbonise and to reach the EU climate targets, especially as zero-emission drivetrain technologies and batteries currently have its limitations. EU-projects like ZEFES and ESCALATE pave the way through large-scale vehicle testing.
Beyond the specificities of the vehicle itself, such as the battery, thermal unit, drivetrain and other components, the creation of an efficient infrastructure is another significant task that requires cross-border cooperation and a dense network of high-speed charging- and refueling infrastructure. Thus, the following questions will be discussed after a brief introduction of the two projects:
- How to create a common energy infrastructure network that caters zero-emission vehicles across the entire logistics chain?
- How cities, regions and TEN-T nodes & parking areas can provide a sufficient refueling network for zero-emission freight?
- What is the required investment to safeguard an efficient transition towards a zero-emission energy- & refueling infrastructure?
Draft agenda:
- Welcome words and introduction
- ESCALATE: Refueling and recharging infrastructure and long-haul cross-border freight pilots
- ZEFES: Insights into the potentials of fuel-cell HDVs
- Round-table discussion on the required energy infrastructure for long-haul vehicles