Electromobility

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft

The future belongs to electric cars

Engineers have been working on electric cars for a surprisingly long time. In fact, the first trials stretch back well into the 19th century. There were some 30,000 electric vehicles on the road in the USA alone in 1912. Climate change, particulate pollution and oil prices have prompted renewed interest in electric cars. By 2020, a million electric cars should be on the roads in Germany according to plans tabled by the federal government. 33 Fraunhofer institutes are cooperating closely to promote the development of electric vehicles, focusing not just on the drive concepts, but also on the specification for solar-powered charging stations, and the kind of challenges that lie ahead in terms of power supply and urban planning.

Electromobility at Fraunhofer

  • Car, Engine, Electricity

    Elektromobilität

    Electric cars are cleaner, less noisy, more agile and more efficient than vehicles run with gasoline or diesel. Despite all this, they were not accepted in the past. Now, however, a new age is dawning: the age of electromobility. Fraunhofer makes a major contribution to this.

  • Fraunhofer System Research for Electromobility

    System Research for Electromobility

    Everyone’s talking about electric cars – Fraunhofer researchers have already set to work. More than 30 Fraunhofer institutes are involved in developing alternative transportation systems in a joint project entitled “Fraunhofer System Research for Electromobility (FSEM)”.

  • User questions on electromobility

    Prof. Holger Hanselka

    We asked users to send us their questions on electromobility. Prof. Dr. Holger Hanselka, coordinators of the “Fraunhofer System Research for Electromobility” initiative provided answers to the top ten user FAQs.

  • Forum on Electromobility

    electromobility

    On September 9, 2009 the German federal ministry of education and research (BMBF) together with the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in Berlin set up the “Forum on Electromobility”. Its purpose is to promote scientific and social dialog on electromobility. (website in german)

  • DRIVE-E initiative to promote young scientists

    Drive-E

    Fraunhofer and the German federal ministry of education and research (BMBF) are promoting tomorrow’s scientists with the DRIVE-E initiative. The DRIVE-E student award with prize-money worth 10,000 euros is presented for highly innovative work on electromobility. The DRIVE-E Academy provides a forum for experts to present the latest developments and research results to students. (website in german)

Further information