The deliverable D5.13: +Trondheim eMaaS Demonstration was submitted by Avis Budget Group (ABG), Trondheim Kommune (TK), AtB, and FourC AS (4C) with contributions from NTNU, TK, ABB, TE, 4C, and Volue/POW in April 2022. The executive summary of the deliverable is available below and the full deliverable is at the end for download:
“This report describes and details:
● The implementation of the +CityxChange demo project Seamless eMobility including an eMaaS scheme with V2G integration in Trondheim
● The different actors involved, their roles and responsibilities, vehicles deployed, and mobility options integrated
● The wide array of agreements needed for implementing a scheme like this, the full mobility solution deployed
● Scaling and replication on a short and longer time scale
● Important experiences and learning points
The EV sharing scheme with EVs utilising V2G charging part of the Seamless eMobility demonstrator is a core and innovative part of the whole +CityxChange project in Trondheim. It connects in addition the mobility co-project with all energy projects (PEB, Local Flexibility Market, Deployment of the Energy Trading Platform). Discharging of the EVs will contribute with energy, capacity, and flexibility to the local markets and PEBs at Sluppen and Brattøra, and the EVs may perform opportunistic charging – when electricity prices are low, and for instance when locally produced electricity is available at favourable prices. The EV batteries will in addition function as local power banks, with both energy (kWh) and
capacity (kW) available for the local buildings and energy consumers (e.g. heat pumps and HVAC systems). Especially for the EV sharing company this may boost the business case, contribute to establishing new business models, and increase the cash flow. When such schemes are scaled up and hubs will include a large number of EVs (as little as 5-10 EVs per
hub with 40-80 kWh battery packages are sufficient), value for the local energy ecosystems and markets will increase largely, of course depending on national frame conditions and legislation on sharing of electricity between individual actors.
Based on the Seamless eMobility system developed by +CityxChange partner FourC1, the backend as well as the frontend was further developed as part of the +CityxChange co-project (Task 5.8) Seamless eMobility to include el-scooters (3 providers), Trondheim City Bike, 2 more car sharing actors in addition to ABG, all public transportation in Trøndelag County including ferries and trains – also including national and international train connections, Airport Shuttle Bus, Avis Budget Group rental cars, and taxi (one company). The FourC backend is a functioning MaaS platform as of today, although not a full-scale platform since booking and payment is not included yet. There is a clear goal on developing the platform and extending the functionalities into a full-scale platform.
In order to have a commercially viable frontend and an app with high potential for attracting a large number of users that contribute to move mobility from personal car use to shared, green, and public transportation, a specific brand – Mobee2 – including a brand strategy was developed. The Mobee app displays the mobility modes listed above in realtime around your present location. There are no booking and payment options available in the Mobee app at present; users still need to enter the different providers’ atmospheres in order to book and pay. The Mobee brand is owned and managed by TK. The fact that the municipality and not one of the private partners and actors own the app and brand, has already proven to be a successfactor for the Seamless Mobility scheme. It is a goal to develop the Mobee app further during the project and beyond, including work to include booking and payment integration.
The Seamless eMobility scheme in Trondheim consists of two main solutions: A MaaS solution including a large variety and number of mobility modes, and an EV sharing solution with V2G integration that also serves as an integral part of a local energy and flexibility market. The prevailing development of Mobee and full scale MaaS products are far beyond the original scope and project aims.
Trondheim municipality has recently made 15 shared fleet vehicles available to the public, located in the city centre. The vehicles are integrated and offered over the Mobee app as well. Additional mobility providers and their mobility services and modes will be included in Mobee during the project. These are examples of the continuous scaling and replication that is occuring as part of the Seamless eMobility project, which will extend throughout the course of the project.
A substantial number of actors and companies need to be involved in deploying and operating an EV sharing scheme as set up in Trondheim. Actors in the scheme in Trondheim and their roles, responsibilities, contributions, and the necessary agreements and contracts needed for such a scheme, are described in detail. Involving the local, municipally owned joint stock parking company Trondheim Parking AS and PaaS (Parking as a Service) proved to be important in order to cover all crucial functions and to have a viable scheme, also in commercial terms. Engagement from and involvement of the property owners where the EV sharing hubs were established, was also a successfactor for the project.
At present 7 shared EVs are put into operation – two at Brattøra and 5 at Sluppen, with the remaining 13 expected as part of the local scale-up. Two V2G EV chargers are in operation, one at each of Brattøra and Sluppen, the remaining are smart 1-way chargers. The reduced rollout of EVs is due to the pandemic and uncertain market opportunities. TK and ABG will work continuously to increase the number of shared EVs during the remaining part of the project (until end of 2023). Originally there was a defined geographic zone of which the demonstration project vehicles were to be situated (+CityxChange demonstration district of Knowledge Axis). Due to lack of accessibility to EV chargers, few low cost parking spaces and an immature market in the defined zone, the area was expanded to include the city of Trondheim and the stretch from the city centre up to the TrondheimVærnes Airport.
TK has – together with partners – already started scaling and replication of the mobility project and measures in Trondheim, and will strongly increase these activities in the near future and on a longer time scale. This includes scaling on a local and regional scale with TK at the wheel. Scaling and replication at a national and international scale is an ambition, but then led and driven by commercial partners and actors.”