ELECTRO Project

Sectors

The automotive sector and the mobility sector at large are facing the challenges of new technological paradigms that have an impact both on the vehicles and on the related infrastructures. These challenges and the need for a greener transportation system call for innovative infrastructures and solutions.
The project research topics and the tech transfer activities are specifically targeted to support the transition of the regional supply-chain towards the integration of new systems for the generation and distribution of sustainable fuels and infrastructures for Electric Power Vehicles.

Scientific Leader 
Paolo Guglielmi, professore ordinario DENERG, Politecnico di Torino
 

Themes

The flagship project includes and merges different aspects related to the EPV world giving a common proposal that touch devices, materials and business developments. 
The flagship proposes specific evolutions of activities in the device environment as in the planning and testing of different solutions related to EPV charge, with charging and testing facilities, V2X connectivity, cooperative vehicle control, charging facility simulation for its integration, equipment testing set-up for electric, autonomous and connected vehicles, Development of High efficiency GaN multilevel active front end for on-board battery chargers. The project is also involved in the development of materials for the next generation mobility. Finally, our researchers are working on management and business models for the EPV market, for facility management and logistics, spatial distribution of charging infrastructures, business model evolution, and the consumption, distribution and business models for electric cars.

Objectives

The key ambition of the ELECTRO flagship project is to enhance innovation capabilities of companies operating along the stages of the value chain of the mobility sector by offering the opportunity to experiment and test new solutions and applications.
The academic and public research institutions involved in this flagship project are currently working on diverse technologies in the field of electrical mobility that might be translated towards industrial applications through an improvement of the related TRLs. Such translation process needs a tight collaboration with industry in order to identify actual market needs and define related specifications in terms of technological infrastructures and relate service characteristics.

Expected Results 

The project will generate new technical knowledge, with the testing of related solutions and their exploitation by established firms or new ventures. Relevant outputs both scientific publications, new patent applications stemming from applied research and the realisation of technology demonstrators/prototypes. The technology-focused studies will be accompanied by research activities more focused on the business implications of the transition towards new sustainable mobility based on EPV. This type of analyses will generate reports on industry trends on a global ad local scale - with an assessment also of related constraints - that will eventually contribute to support the design of innovation paths by the SMEs operating in the ecosystem.

Impact on the territory 

The Project will guarantee technology and knowledge transfer to boost companies’ innovation capabilities, especially SMEs, it will contribute to the development of new skills and specialized personnel, guaranteeing over time high-qualified jobs positions. Advanced infrastructures, networks, and platforms will be created and utilized to experiment, implement, and evaluate mobility systems. A sustainable mobility framework and a circular business model will be developed and integrated with innovative technologies. A new business model and services will be presented in autonomous and electric mobility facility management and logistics. A specific Charging lab will be created to the purpose of testing in realistic conditions vehicles and chargers for static applications.
The activities of the Project will indeed nurture the growth of innovation capabilities in the specific field of electrical mobility. Moreover, some of the solutions resulting from the research activities of the Project will be supported with an internal development process with the objective of setting up new startups.

Participants

Politecnico di Torino: 
- DENERG Department of Energy
- DIMEAS Mechanical and Aerospace Engineeting
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Aerospaziale
- DAUIN Dipartimento di Automatica e Informatica 
- DET Electronics and Telecomunications 
- DIST Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning
- DIGEP Department of Industrial Engineering and Management

Università di Torino: 
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Computer Science 
- Department of Economics and Statistics “Cognetti de Martiis”

Fondazione LINKS

Università di Catania:
- DIEEI Department of Electric Electronic and Information Engineering