The paper is concerned with an innovative project undertaken in Turin (Italy) in 1995 for the public access and use of 20 electric cars. The purpose of the presented research has been to test-operate the system and determine its management difficulties, defects and weak points of the project. The analysis of the capability of this system was performed through a simulation model - based on a field survey and data collected over a period of about two years - for studying the capacity of the station with a larger number of users than those using it presently and for planning and dimensioning new stations. The results show that this service could be effective for spreading low emission vehicles. Future developments of this research could concern the creation of more peripheral areas of the city in order to satisfy a higher demand of mobility all around the urban centre.
Samenvatting