IN 2019, industrial manufacturer Siemens converted a five-kilometre section of German autobahn into the world’s longest eHighway. The eHighway applies the principles of electric railways to bring savings and environmental benefits to freight transport. Overhead charging cables are installed on existing roadways, and customised freight trucks draw power from the lines with links (called pantographs) that can connect and disengage at speeds of up to 90 km/h. A hybrid drive recovers energy generated by braking, and powers trucks off the eHighway. The project has proved so successful that Germany may soon approve an additional 4,000 kilometres, converting 60 percent of its trucking industry from fossil fuels to renewables. The BV judging panel announces Siemens’ eHighway as winner of the 2020 award for Best ESG Freight Traffic Solution (Global).
