AeroSolfd is a Horizon Europe project focussing on developing market-ready retrofit solutions to immediately decrease the harmful effects on health and the environment of transport-related emissions with effective filtration devices. It will deliver affordable, easy-to-install and environmentally friendly retrofit solutions to reduce tailpipe and brake emissions and pollution in (semi-) closed environments. A consortium from eight European countries, coordinated by MANN+HUMMEL, has joined forces to realize the quick deployment so that people in Europe and beyond can benefit already by 2025 from a more eco-friendly mobility.
Challenge & Our Proposal
Based on the latest Harvard epidemiologic research data (2021), globally 10.2 million people die prematurely only due to traffic-generated emissions per year. For the next decade, the existing vehicle fleet will continue emitting fine particles and ultrafine particles, as well as gaseous toxic compounds such as nitrogen oxide (NOx) until a full transition to zero-exhaust-emission vehicles takes place.
While retrofit filters have been installed for diesel particle emissions in the past 20 years, the worldwide gasoline fleet segment before 2018 currently drives without any filtering technology (EURO 6c and earlier), even with the very high toxicity of gasoline particles. Also, in the EU after 2018 filters are only installed in direct injection engines. In contrast to exhaust emissions, toxic particles from brakes, tyres and rail-wheel contact have not yet been limited by legislation.
These particles – especially in semi-open and closed environments like bus stops, tunnels, and train and metro stations – contribute to poor local air, soil, and water quality, severely impacting human health. To limit these harmful effects, immediate retrofit solutions to reduce emissions through tailpipe and brake wear must be urgently developed and introduced to the market.
AeroSolfd is a fast-track innovation action established to tackle these challenges. The project aims to realise the quick deployment of three low-cost retrofit solutions to allow for a transition towards cleaner urban air.
AeroSolfd will also put special focus on increasing public and political awareness of the harmful impact of tailpipe and brake emissions on the environment and people’s health. The project will provide policymakers with recommendations on how to develop incentive schemes for the quick market uptake of these retrofit technologies.
Challenge & Our Proposal
Retrofits are key enabling technologies during the transition to zero-exhaust vehicles by electrification and until reduced non-exhaust measures are implemented. Even beyond, brake and closed environment retrofits will continue to play an important role in the electrified road and rail fleet. In AeroSolfd, three retrofit solutions will be delivered: retrofits to reduce tailpipe emissions, brake emissions and pollution in (semi-) closed environments. By using these three retrofits, quick wins in the reduction of the overall health and environmental impact of the existing fleets can be realised.
In gasoline combustion engines, fine particles and toxic secondary emissions will be reduced by an innovative Gasoline Particle Filter. NOx exhaust emissions would be minimised by replacing the three-way-catalyst with new equipment. In addition, brake particles of long-lived road transport assets will be reduced by an advanced brake dust particle filter. The reduction of fine particles in closed environments (bus stops, tunnels, metro stations) will be reached by using a specially designed and enhanced stationary air purifier.
During the three-year innovation project, the effectiveness of AeroSolfd’s solutions will be demonstrated in the field and under real driving conditions in lighthouse demo sites across Europe: Valladolid (Spain), Sofia (Bulgaria), Ancona and Fermo (Italy), Lisbon (Portugal), Rovaniemi (Finland), Haifa (Israel), and Biel (Switzerland). This will enable the market introduction of these technologies by 2025 and the transition towards a cleaner and healthier environment in Europe.
Challenge & Our Proposal
The AeroSolfd consortium is composed of large industrial players, renowned scientific institutes and lighthouse demo sites from eight European countries. Under the coordination of MANN+HUMMEL, Germany, 17 partners work together to realize the quick deployment of low-cost retrofit solutions for the benefit of healthier and more sustainable mobility.
