eHighway – Solutions for electrified road freight transport (2024)

The technology developed by Siemens Mobility supplies hybrid trucks with electricity from anoverhead line via a pantograph. The system not only slashes energy consumption by half, but also substantially reduces local air pollution.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility wascommissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line forelectrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With thisfield trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany forthe first time. The system was installed on the A5 autobahn between theZeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and theDarmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility wascommissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line forelectrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With thisfield trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany forthe first time. The system was installed on the A5 autobahn between theZeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and theDarmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.

On April 11, 2017, Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks saw for herself what eHighway, Siemens' overhead line system for trucks, is all about during a test drive. Siemens presented the technology on its test route in Groß Dölln in northern Germany.

eHighway is a technology that makes freight transport on the roads more sustainable and environmentally friendly by supplying trucks with power from an overhead contact line. This means that not only is energy consumption cut by half, but local air pollution is reduced too, making the technology twice as efficient as internal combustion engines.

Photo (from left to right): Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks, Dr. Jochen Eickholt, CEO of the Siemens Mobility Division

On April 11, 2017, Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks saw for herself what eHighway, Siemens' overhead line system for trucks, is all about during a test drive. Siemens presented the technology on its test route in Groß Dölln in northern Germany.

eHighway is a technology that makes freight transport on the roads more sustainable and environmentally friendly by supplying trucks with power from an overhead contact line. This means that not only is energy consumption cut by half, but local air pollution is reduced too, making the technology twice as efficient as internal combustion engines.

For the second research project a new, extended test track was commissioned in Groß Dölln, Germany. It is tailored to mirror real operating conditions. A bend was added to the track, along with a newly developed contact wire that is adjusted to the shape of the bend and allows vehicles to keep traveling at speeds of up to 90 km/h. Two more features found on most highways were also installed: a gantry and a road sign supported by a cantilever. Since the contact wire has to remain a safe distance beneath the road signs, the catenaries and carrying cable were lowered so that the pantograph can remain in constant contact, even when traveling at full speed.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility was commissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line for electrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With this field trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany for the first time. The system is installed on the A5 autobahn between the Zeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and the Darmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.
In March 2018, a further contract was awarded by the Research and Development Center of the University Kiel for the construction of a five-kilometer eHighway on the A1 autobahn between the Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges.
A third eHighway system on the B 462 federal highwaybetween Kuppenheim and Gaggenau has been successfully completed and handed overto the customer in June 2021.

Siemens Mobility supplied a pilot system for electrified road freight transport for Hessen Mobil.

In March 2018 SiemensMobility was commissioned by the Research and Development Center of theUniversity Kiel to build a five-kilometer eHighway on the A1 autobahn betweenthe Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges.

In March 2018 SiemensMobility was commissioned by the Research and Development Center of theUniversity Kiel to build a five-kilometer eHighway on the A1 autobahn betweenthe Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges.

In March 2018 SiemensMobility was commissioned by the Research and Development Center of theUniversity Kiel to build a five-kilometer eHighway on the A1 autobahn betweenthe Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges.

In March 2018 SiemensMobility was commissioned by the Research and Development Center of theUniversity Kiel to build a five-kilometer eHighway on the A1 autobahn betweenthe Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility wascommissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line forelectrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With thisfield trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany forthe first time. The system was installed on the A5 autobahn between theZeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and theDarmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility wascommissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line forelectrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With thisfield trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany forthe first time. The system was installed on the A5 autobahn between theZeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and theDarmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility wascommissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line forelectrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With thisfield trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany forthe first time. The system was installed on the A5 autobahn between theZeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and theDarmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility wascommissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line forelectrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With thisfield trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany forthe first time. The system was installed on the A5 autobahn between theZeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and theDarmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility wascommissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line forelectrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With thisfield trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany forthe first time. The system was installed on the A5 autobahn between theZeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and theDarmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility wascommissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line forelectrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With thisfield trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany forthe first time. The system was installed on the A5 autobahn between theZeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and theDarmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.

In August 2017, Siemens Mobility wascommissioned by the state of Hesse to build an overhead contact line forelectrified freight transport on a ten-kilometer stretch of autobahn. With thisfield trial, the eHighway is being tested on a public highway in Germany forthe first time. The system was installed on the A5 autobahn between theZeppelinheim/Cargo City Süd interchange at the Frankfurt Airport and theDarmstadt/Weiterstadt interchange.

Siemens Mobility supplied a pilot system for electrified road freight transport for Hessen Mobil.

In the picture: Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter; Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

Siemens Mobility supplied a pilot system for electrified road freight transport for Hessen Mobil.

In March 2018 Siemens Mobility was commissioned by the Research and Development Center of the University Kiel to build a five-kilometer eHighway on the A1 autobahn between the Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges.

In March 2018 Siemens Mobility was commissioned by the Research and Development Center of the University Kiel to build a five-kilometer eHighway on the A1 autobahn between the Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges.

In March 2018 Siemens Mobility was commissioned by the Research and Development Center of the University Kiel to build a five-kilometer eHighway on the A1 autobahn between the Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges.

In March 2018 Siemens Mobility was commissioned by the Research and Development Center of the University Kiel to build a five-kilometer eHighway on the A1 autobahn between the Reinfeld and Lübeck interchanges.

In November 2017, Siemens Mobility installed and tested a two-mile-long overhead contact line system for hybrid electric trucks near the U.S. ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, two of the largest ports in the country.

Siemens and the "South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD)" are running a one-mile, zero-emission eHighway demonstration in the Californian city of Carson, U.S., near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. Three trucks hauling freight are running along the stretch of highway which uses Siemens technology to electrify select highway lanes via an overhead catenary system. This catenary system supplies the trucks with electric power, similar to how modern-day trolleys or streetcars are powered on many city streets. The system also allows for truck operation outside of the electrified sections of infrastructure.

The first eHighway system on a public road was inaugurated in June 2016 in Sweden. For two years, a Siemens Mobility catenary system for trucks was tested on a two-kilometer stretch of the E16 highway north of Stockholm. The system trial employed two diesel-hybrid trucks manufactured by Scania and adapted, in collaboration with Siemens Mobility, to operate with the catenary system. During the two-year trial, Sweden's transport authority Trafikverket and the district of Gävleborg gathered data to see whether the Siemens eHighway system is suitable for future commercial use and further expansion. As part of its climate protection strategy, Sweden has committed to having its transport sector independent of fossil fuels by 2030.