Rotterdam studies the use of electric vehicles

The City of Rotterdam, energy company Eneco and distribution system operator Stedin jointly run the initiative, which is financially supported by the Dutch government.

Rotterdam’s Electric Driving Test is the largest study of electric vehicles in the Netherlands so far. The pilot started in 2010 with a small number of monitored cars and reached its full capacity in spring 2012. Currently, 75 electric cars and utility vans with 100 drivers and 66 charging points are monitored. The test will last until summer 2013 to cover all seasons and elaborate the impact of the weather.

49 cars have been equipped with an onboard computer to monitor of energy consumption, speed and distance travelled. Charging points are also monitored to investigate how long charging takes and where it is done: at home, at the office or at public charging stations. The drivers’ experience is being examined using surveys and logs.

Rotterdam aims to enhance the introduction of electric driving as clean, quiet and energy efficient transport mode. The city aims to set up 1,000 charging points for electric cars in the city by the end of 2014.

More information: www.rotterdamtestelektrischrijden.nl (in Dutch)