E-mobility in Holland: a country under power

E-mobility in Holland: a country under power

With 30,000 public charging stations, the Netherlands plays a pioneering role in e-infrastructure.

A fleet of Tesla welcomes travelers to Amsterdam Airport at Schiphol. Picture: dpa

Amsterdam is the stronghold of cyclists. Although six out of ten people move every day, the metropolis has been experiencing high levels of air pollution for several years. This is the reason why the municipal authorities have very early taken the turn of the electronic mobility and play today a pioneering role. This visit resulted in an information trip organized this week by Business Upper Austria (Bizup) and led by Landesrten Gnther Steinkellner (Traffic) and Michael Strugl (Trade).

As soon as you arrive at Schiphol Airport, a long line of Tesla limousines arrives. Electronic taxis are preferred over traditional taxis. They can take customers to conveniently located waiting positions. At Amsterdam Central Station, Centraal now offers a stand exclusively for electronic taxis. Of the 4000 taxis in the city, 700 are already powered by electricity. For Landtag Gnther Steinkellner, a model for Linz: "A share of at least ten percent of e-taxis in Linz is feasible and desirable."

(from right to left) Provincial Councilor Gnther Steinkellner, Third Landtag President Gerda Weichsler-Hauer and Gerhard Dell (Energiesparverband)

Of course, Upper Austria has a lot of work to do: there are 487 public charging points in the country. In the Netherlands, there are more than 30,000 publics and about 75,000 private. Anyone who buys an electric car in Amsterdam privately will also be favored for the allocation of parking spaces. In a city with chronic parking problems, it's a weighty argument. "Incentives will be needed to make electric cars interesting, which can be direct financial incentives, taxes or even privileges, for example when parking," said economic adviser Michael Strugl.

Traffic experts agree that several new forms of propulsion will develop alongside the combustion engine. Electric cars have their rights in urban private transport. In the case of freight transport, the delivery of the last mile with the electronic carriers is particularly promising, explains Oliver Schauer, professor of logistics at FH Steyr.

(from left to right) Horst Steinmller (University of Linz), Werner Pamminger (Biz-up), Oliver Schauer (FH Steyr)

Four-ton battery

However, in long distance traffic, electric trucks with the current battery technology are unthinkable. "A 40-tonne truck with a maximum load of 20 tonnes should carry a four-tonne battery if it wanted to cover 1,000 kilometers," says Schauer. The already low ratio between the total weight and the payload would be further aggravated. The future of long-haul transportation is a system of systems in which LPG and hydrogen will also play a role. But here too, the corresponding refueling infrastructure is still lacking.

Michael Strugl and Ambbadador Heidemaria Grer at the Hague residence

However, the progress made by the Dutch in terms of electric mobility also has drawbacks: electricity production is provided by five coal-fired power plants: "Ecologically, electronic mobility only makes sense if 39 electricity comes from renewable sources, "says Gerhard Dell, general manager of the Energyparverband in Upper Austria. And there, the Netherlands can still be improved. The largest supplier of natural gas in the EU currently holds only 14% of renewable energy in electricity. In Upper Austria, it is 77%, so Strugl.

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