NGlobal Magazin 01-2010

Niedersachsen Global www.nglobal.de 42 Energy It was towards the end of 2007 when the electric car arrived in the streets of Lüneburg. Abwasser, Grün & Lüneburger Service GmbH (AGL company—“waste water, green spaces and Lüneburg services”) test-drove the prototype utility ve- hicle for a number of months during which the ‘EcoCarrier’ was checked on a daily basis – until it was eventually given the go-ahead. Mid 2008 its manufactur- ers, EcoCraft Automotive, presented their first series-produced electric car to AGL. “We were happy to see it at last,” says Ralf Dibowski, head of operations at AGL while patting the orange bonnet of the small, angular van, serial number eleven. Numbers one to ten were test cars. One of them was test-driven by Dibowski him- self, and he actually grew fond of his EcoCarrier. Briskly on its Way Before he was able to fully enjoy the drives though, he had to help the manufac- turers to get rid of some teething problems. Now the EcoCarrier moves at a brisk 75km/h with some 80 kms of autonomy. “The priority was an autonomy which would allow drivers to easily move about town,” explains Dibowski. Right now the EcoCarrier draw their energy from lead/gel batteries. Charging time is eight to ten hours, with a potential of around 800 to 1,200 charge cycles. From April, the manufacturers will also offer vehicles with lithium ion batteries which weigh less and, therefore, allow an increased payload of around 200 kg. Recharg- ing time will be reduced to three to five hours with a potential of 2,000 to 2,500 recharges. Once the battery is spent, the electric car itself is plugged into the grid. “We produce the electricity ourselves in the water treatment plant, for this we use biogases which discharge from the purification ponds. A block-type thermal power station produces electricity and heat. “The concept of the vehicle is integrated into a natural cycle, this results in ecological and economic advantages,” says Eugen EcoCity  Lüneburg The city of Lüneburg is forward-looking.  Its waste water company AGL seems  to be well on the road to an environmentally  friendly fleet of utility cars. by Jürgen Enkelmann Photo: City of Lüneburg EcoCarrier CO2 emissions: 0 g/km Tare weight: ES 1,380 kg, EL 1,550 kg (including lead gel battery) Permitted gross weight: ES 1,750 kg, EL 2,250 kg Towing capacity, ES and EL: 450 kg (unbraked) Acceleration from 0 to 50 kph: 8.5 seconds Maximum speed: 75 kph (electronically speed-governed) Motor output: 15 kW Torque: over 950 Nm at the driven wheels Gearbox: single-speed, no clutch EcoCarrier Photo/Source: EcoCraft Automotive / AGL