European project
ESPRIT
Challenges
Car-sharing systems are enjoying strong growth and are set to become a widespread transport solution. Yet the existing systems still apply to vulnerable business models, weighed down by the cost of redistributing vehicles between stations, the cost of investing in electric car-sharing services and charges for the urban space taken up by the stations.
ESPRIT (Easily Distributed Personal Rapid Transport) is an European project that tackles this issue by putting forward an enhanced transport system based on small, stackable electric vehicles that make the most of the available infrastructure, optimising energy charging and reducing redistribution costs.
Research themes
- Car-sharing
- stackable electric vehicles
- infrastructure design
- vehicle design
- business model
- modelling tools
- energy optimisation
- last-mile solutions
- intermodal transport
- etc…
Project description
- The ESPRIT consortium comprises 21 members from six European countries. The project is entirely funded by the European Commission as part of the Horizon 2020 program. The goal is to develop a pioneering car-sharing system to meet mobility requirements in urban and semi-urban areas, operating seamlessly alongside existing transport systems.
- The system is made up of small 3-seaters electric vehicles that can be stackable electric together, then the charging points at the stations, the operating system and tools to develop a business model approach.
- Once the system has actually been built, the project will culminate in a demonstration at three European sites—Glasgow, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat near Barcelona and Lyon. These sites may then host a full-scale trial of the ESPRIT system drawing on a demand model, an operating model and a comprehensive business case.
Future prospects
Implementation of a full-scale demonstrator.
Partners involved
