Glossary · Electrical engineering and control panels
Electric mobility
Also known as: E-mobility, Electromobility
German: Elektromobilität
In engineering and industry, electric mobility is the use of electrically powered vehicles, such as battery electric cars, trucks, forklifts and automated guided vehicles, together with the charging infrastructure and energy systems that support them.
- Control panels
In one sentence
Electric mobility covers electrically powered vehicles and the charging infrastructure and energy systems that support them.
Example
A plant installs charging stations for its electric forklifts and connects them to the energy management system to avoid load peaks during shift changes.
How it applies
- Engineering: For automation, electric mobility shows up in battery production lines, charging infrastructure (conductive charging per the IEC 61851 series), intralogistics vehicles and energy management. Charging stations are also networked devices that need cybersecurity measures.
- Regulation: EU rules for batteries include a battery passport as one of the first digital product passports, which affects documentation and data management for battery producers (see Battery passport).
- Documentation: Charging equipment and vehicles bring their own instructions, safety information for high-voltage systems and maintenance requirements. Plant documentation should cover the integration: power supply, emergency procedures and responsibilities.
Electric mobility vs. electrification
Electric mobility concerns vehicles and their charging. Electrification of industry is broader and includes replacing fossil-fired process heat or drives with electric solutions.