Electric Mobility
NRW is proactively expanding electric mobility and developing future-proof solutions for the increasing mobility needs throughout the world. The federal state is particularly suited to this task:
Modular electric commercial vehicles – an innovation from Tropos Motors
The US manufacturer Tropos Motors produces electrically powered commercial vehicles in Herne. By doing do, the company is strengthening the automotive industry in the Ruhr Metropolis – oriented to the future with e-mobility. The focus here is on utility, versatility and connectivity. The interchangeable bodies of the vehicles, which look like small trucks, can be replaced within minutes. They offer a large loading volume as well as high payload and towing capacity. The electric vehicles are designed primarily for short trips in the city and can be used for a wide range of applications and locations.
Tropos Motors Europe produces electric trucks in Herne, News from 27.08.2019
Mennekes sets standards for plugs and charging solutions
The charging plug of the medium-sized company Mennekes from the Sauerland region has been the European standard since 2013. Throughout Europe, electric cars are charged exclusively using this plug. Mennekes now offers complete charging solutions: 20,000 charging points have already been installed worldwide, of which 7,000 are network-capable systems that can be connected via a cloud. Mennekes also develops cloud-based software solutions for the operation of charging points.
Fully charged with expertise
Competence network for battery research
In the field of battery research in particular, NRW offers a unique range of university expertise through RWTH Aachen University and the Münster Electrochemical Energy Technology (MEET) Battery Research Institute of the Westphalian Wilhelms University (WWU). MEET is also the headquarters of the Battery Competence Center within the framework of ElectroMobility NRW. Together with the Competence Centers for Automotive Engineering in Aachen and for Infrastructure and Networks in Dortmund, MEET forms a network which has a central task: to meet the challenges of electric mobility in a targeted and coordinated manner – and to do so with the involvement of all relevant players.
Research factory for battery cell production
What this full charge of battery expertise is capable of is demonstrated by a current research project from NRW. The project involves the establishment of a research factory for battery cell production that is unique in Germany. The concept for "battery cell research production" takes into account the entire life cycle of a battery cell, starting with production and its optimization – also according to energy and resource-saving criteria – right through to recycling. The concept thus contains a convincing and legally feasible approach as to how batteries produced in a test phase can be optimally utilized and then, after the utilization phase, reused via a recycling system. Recycling is to be set up in Ibbenbüren.
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NRW is one of the most important automotive locations in Germany. The automotive industry in NRW is broadly based, ranging from internationally active corporations in conventional vehicle construction, through the medium-sized supply industry, to electric mobility and automated driving.
Industry 4.0 is revolutionizing the production process – and NRW, as Germany's industrial heartland, plays a key role here. The close cooperation between research and businesses, the outstanding infrastructure and broad-based ICT sector make North Rhine-Westphalia a dynamically fast-growing market.
