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Research Project „Fleets Go Green“

Reutlingen, November 20, 2012 – The joint project “Fleets Go Green” analyzes and evaluates the efficiency of electric vehicles using the example of fleet operations. In cooperation with the Technical University Braunschweig, the Fraunhofer-Institute, the Volkswagen AG und other partners, iPoint-systems are also participating in this research project, in which they are responsible for the ecological evaluation of the electric vehicles and fleet configuration. The aim of this project module is the development of a model for analyzing environmentally-relevant relationships between vehicle, user, and network interactions. iPoint-systems want to use the insights and experiences from this research project to expand their competence in the area of electromobility LCA.

Since September 2012, iPoint are taking part in the research project „Fleets Go Green“, which is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit/BMU). The aim of the Federal Government is the market preparation and introduction of battery electric vehicles in Germany, whereby this field test analyzes and evaluates the potential of electric vehicles for reducing the harmful environmental impacts of road transport. The research results of this three-year project shall provide a basis of decision-making for converting vehicle fleets to e-vehicles. For the usage scenario “fleet”, different electrical vehicles are procured, equipped with respective measuring technique for detecting the total energy needs, and operated. “Fleets Go Green” consists of five modules. They deal with the vehicle behavior (Module 1), the user behavior (Module 2), the power supply system behavior (Module 3), the life cycle assessment/LCA (Module 4) and the usage scenario fleet operations (Module 5). The project is jointly organized and coordinated by BS|ENERGY and the Automotive Research Centre Niedersachsen (Niedersächsisches Forschungszentrum Fahrzeugtechnik/NFF).

The first vehicles will be procured this year by BS|ENERGY from Braunschweig, and until summer 2013, there will be 25 to 50 vehicles. As soon as first data are available, iPoint will conduct a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the electric vehicles and fleet configurations in Module 4. This module aims at developing a system-dynamic model for analyzing environmentally-relevant relationships between vehicle-, user-, and power supply system-interactions. Moreover, it aims at creating material flow models of the fleet operation and using the calculated life cycle inventories and impacts as a basis for different LCAs. Together with the other modules, this results in an integrated research approach which provides the necessary transparency for exploiting the ecological potentials of electric vehicles for fleet operations in everyday life. The research efforts of iPoint are in line with the company’s mission statement of expanding its knowledge and know-how in the areas of sustainability and environmental protection.

Contact for the reader:

Katie Boehme

iPoint-systems gmbh

Ludwig-Erhard-Str. 52-56

D-72760 Reutlingen

Tel. +49 (0)7121.14489-613

Fax +49 (0)7121.14489-89

E-Mail: katie.boehme(at)ipoint-systems.de

Internet: www.ipoint-systems.de