As the transportation sector accounts for approx. 30% of energy consumption in Germany, a gradual increase in the number of electric vehicles (1 million should be operating by 2020) can make a significant contribution to road transportation sustainability. We need to plan and construct multi-functional infrastructure corridors to accelerate the introduction of electric vehicles. These not only include the actual transportation infrastructure, but equipment for obtaining energy (solar power units and wind turbines) and the necessary recharging systems (charging points, places and lanes). Zwickau University of Applied Sciences has conducted a feasibility study to mathematically calculate the technical design criteria and energy balance (energy requirements/output) along a section of highway, depending on the electric car quota, the section’s parameters and various energy generation scenarios; this involved driving simulation and real driving experience. The experiment results clearly show that, when designing transportation infrastructure, it makes sense to plan so-called multi-functional infrastructure corridors, which enable independent energy production, parallel energy distribution through cables and directly supplies from the recharging infrastructure. The real transportation infrastructure must develop from a simple to an intelligent roadway. The road standards must take into account the new requirements for alignment and cross-section design. Zwickau University has developed a new methodology for planning and designing multi-functional infrastructure corridors. It generates them with computer support, taking into account points of constraint. Genetic algorithms serve as the mathematical model. Pilot scheme results show that it will be possible to transfer this process to engineering offices in the near future.

• Wolfgang Kuhn(Zwickau University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Transport and Energy Engineering)