Ricerc@Sapienza

Modern metropolises are increasingly affected by air quality problems. Transportation is one of the largest sources of several pollutants emissions, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO). Today in the EU, vehicles’ emissions are strictly limited by Euro 6 norm—Euro VI for heavy-duty vehicles—which is periodically upgraded. To match such limits, manufacturers are forced in developing new technologies to perform new sustainable vehicles design strategies, such as EVs and HEVs.

When it comes to simulate traffic emissions, problems arise: which is the best model to use, which data are needed and whether they are all available, whether the process is time-consuming and/or calls for expert, etc. It is not surprising, then, that public transport operators might be hesitant in estimating the emission package of the bus fleets they manage.

The paper introduces an innovative Predictive Maintenance (PdM) system to assess the quality of engine oil for buses, tested in Ravenna (Italy) within the “European Bus System of the Future – EBSF_2” project, funded by the European Union. The system relies on PdM software linked to oil sensors and filters, installed on a test fleet and using a specifically designed Information Technology (IT) architecture. The system enables continuous assessment of the oil quality, which is highly predictive of engine performance.

ELIPTIC (2015-2018) is a project funded by the European Commission to develop 20 new concepts to demonstrate that the further take-up of electric vehicles can be done in a cost-efficient way, with tangible effects on the urban environment. The concepts are divided into three thematic pillars: i) safe integration of electric buses using existing electric public transport infrastructure; ii) innovative energy storage systems to increase operational efficiency, and iii) multi-purpose use of electric public transport infrastructure.

EBSF 2 is a three-year research project which came to an end in April 2018. The project was led by the International Association of Public Transport and funded by the European Union with the aim of increasing attractiveness and efficiency of urban bus systems. Real-life demonstrations in 12 cities addressed diverse areas for innovations, but for several test sites the main goal was to deploy and test solutions for increased energy efficiency of urban bus fleets.