A number of large scale demonstrations will be held in Berlin, Genoa, Málaga, Rome, Bari and Trikala to boost the usage of Light Electric Vehicles (EL-Vs). Specifically, electric bicycles, scooters, tricycles and quadricycles will be showcased for a more sustainable, safe and citizen-friendly transportation system. The demonstrations will be held in the framework of the newly launched EU Funded project, ELVITEN.

The ELVITEN Horizon 2020 project, consisting of 21 partners from 10 European countries, aims to make EL-Vs more attractive and integrate them into the transport and electricity networks. Specifically, partners:

  • Seek to make users more familiar with EL-Vs and encourage their use for both private transport and light urban deliveries
  • Will collect real usage data, so that detailed guidelines and business models can be generated for service providers and manufacturers

The ELVITEN consortium will make a joint effort to tackle some of the challenges that users face, which are mainly related to the lack of information and the low awareness of EL-Vs performance and functionality.  To achieve this, one year of demonstrations and a variety of workshops and public events will be held in each of the six demonstration cities to attract users, policymakers and stakeholders in the field of smart and sustainable mobility and introduce them to the ELVITEN usage schemes.

The cities have been chosen based on several criteria for showcasing the efficiency of EL-Vs in differing environments. Demonstrations in large cities, such as Rome and Berlin, and smaller cities, such as Bari and Trikala, will show how EL-Vs can offer countless benefits for citizens, companies and local governments. The ELVITEN project may potentially be implemented in additional cities and pave the way for the switch to electromobility for other European cities as well.

The project launched its activities during a two-day kick-off meeting in Athens on 21-22 November 2017, where all involved parties had the chance to discuss all actions needed towards increasing direct user experience and raising public awareness about all categories of EL-Vs. Together with research and IT institutes, academics and city local authorities, ELVITEN will support services, ICT tools and policies to boost the usage of electric light vehicles, ownership and sharing by private citizens and professionals.

ELVITEN includes 21 partners, including 8 ERTICO partners and the ERTICO Office itself. ERTICO manages the initial phases of ELVITEN’s work on mobility demand and usage schemes, as well as contributing to the demonstration methodology, guidelines for the wide uptake of EL-Vs, and dissemination.

The project currently has an online citizens urban-mobility questionnaire which will be open until 21 January. For more information on the project and to participate in the questionnaire see www.elviten-project.eu