In Luxembourg, eCharge4Drivers partner Nexxtlab links e-mobility revolution and energy transition to make charging electric vehicles easier for users. Luxembourg is one of the ten demonstration sites of eCharge4Drivers, which ensure interoperability and replicability of the solutions and services developed as part of the project.
Nexxtlab has developed a unique approach that uses a smart charging system to ease the charging experience of commuters leaving their vehicles at park-and-ride facilities outside of Luxembourg’s city centre. The system integrates user preferences, such as the desired range to be recharged and the anticipated duration of the stay, and a continuously updated local renewable energy forecast to optimise charging when there is more sunlight and when drivers don’t require their vehicle. As a result, the charging correlates better with the availability of locally generated electricity from renewable sources, and the charging infrastructure’s impact on the grid is reduced.
“Our demonstration is centred around the users. By explaining why their active participation is essential, they provide us the temporal flexibility to delay charging their car for the benefit of charging locally generated solar electricity,” explains Christoph Emde, Project and Business Development Manager at Nexxtlab.
To complement the technical side of the demonstration, Nexxtlab also addresses the human dimension. The demo users may take part in a gamification approach to raise awareness of the need to adapt usage to generation, where applicable, so that an increased share of renewables can be absorbed in vehicle batteries.
In addition to Luxembourg, nine other demonstrations of user-centric charging solutions are taking place as part of the eCharge4Drivers project in Barcelona, Berlin, Grenoble, Bari, Zellik (Belgium) and on TEN-T corridors in Austria, Greece, Northern Italy and Western Turkey. The demonstration in Luxembourg started in early 2022 and is ongoing.
eCharge4Drivers has received funding from the European Union’s horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 875131.
