20th A3PS Conference
ECO-MOBILITY 2025
Fostering Competitiveness of Vehicle Industry – From Research to Application
took place on November 13th and 14th in Palais Palffy in Vienna's city center.
PresentationsProgrammePoster PresentationsPicture Gallery
The 20th A3PS Conference was opened by Dr. Michael Nöst & Prof. Peter Prenninger with a warm welcome from Director General Henriette Spyra. The following international Keynote Session was chaired by Dr. Michael Nöst in cooperation with Dr. Yogesh Mittal, Dr. Stefan Rohringer, and Dr.-Ing. Stephan Neugebauer and highlighted global energy and mobility trends. The speakers emphasized that India aims for full decarbonization by 2070 and Europe by 2050, while hydrogen is poised to play a central role in commercial and off-road vehicles. The presentation also noted that Europe is currently trailing China in battery development. The conference brought together leading experts and stakeholders to explore strategies and innovations shaping the future of sustainable mobility and energy solutions.
Session 1: Battery and Electric Powertrain
The first session conducted by Dr. Damian Cupid focused on three presentations of Prof. Uwe Dieter Grebe, Prof. Daniel Rettenwander, and Mr. Andreas Wolf and explored thermal management in electric drives, future solid-state battery technologies, and battery material circularity. The session highlighted that regulatory openness, economically viable business cases, and strong research-industry partnerships will drive rapid adoption of new battery and powertrain solutions.
Session 2: Carbon Neutral Energy Carriers and Converters
The second session framed by Prof. Peter Prenninger explored the green electricity-based energy carriers and mechanical power generation. Prof. Edith Bucher presented high-performance, cost-effective materials for solid oxide electrolysis cells, reducing dependence on noble metals. Dr. Jan Niklas Geiler showcased hybrid internal combustion engines for trucks and ships, demonstrating carbon-neutral operation at competitive performance levels. Following, Prof. Nicole Wermuth's presentation explored decarbonization strategies for ocean-going vessels, highlighting innovative technologies and approaches to reduce emissions in the shipping industry.
Session 3: Hydrogen and Hydrogen Vehicles
Dr. Alexander Trattner chaired the 3rd session with the speakers Dr. Stephan Herbst, Dr. Florian Henkel, Mr. Christoph Kiegerl, and Mr. Samuele Cappelli. OEMs from passenger cars, buses, trucks, and construction machinery highlighted hydrogen fuel cells as key to decarbonizing transport and generating European innovation. However, Europe currently lacks a coordinated hydrogen ecosystem, whereas China has advanced rapidly. Upcoming strategic decisions will determine whether Europe maintains its competitive edge in research, manufacturing, and global markets.
Day 2’s Keynote Session "Transformation of Transport in Science and Industry" chaired by Prof. Thomas Lauer examined sustainable mobility and energy from multiple perspectives. Prof. Helmut Eichlseder and Prof. Christian Trapp discussed the continuing potential of internal combustion engines. Mr. Roland Sommer explained the benefits of the Digital Product Pass for product development and manufacturing. Dr. David Storer summarized impacts on vehicle registrations and policy frameworks. An engaging Q&A concluded the session.
Session 4: Innovative Materials and Production
Chaired by Prof. Franz Haas, featured Mr. Sebastian Kirchhamer on Plain bearing performance in alternative fuel engines, Dr. Carina Schlögl on Advanced lightweight materials, and Dr. Werner Aumayr on Linking digital twins to physical products for optimization, concluding with a panel discussion on emerging trends in materials and production.
Session 5: Digitalization, Energy, and Security
The 5th session led by Prof. Bernhard Brandstätter. During the session, Dr. Klaus Kainrath explored the growing importance of cybersecurity in connected vehicles, emphasizing that safeguarding digital systems is essential for trust, safety, and compliance. Prof. Sebastian Fischmeister presented the concept of a Zero-Trust supply chain highlighted the need to continuously verify every component, partner, and data exchange. Following, Alexander Kospach and Julian Bodory discussed the Human-centric energy efficiency, focusing on user behavior, comfort, and real-world impact. Finally, Mr. Gordon Witham examined Europe’s renewable energy potential as a lever to decarbonize automotive production and accelerate sustainable mobility. These themes underscored the interconnected challenges of digitalization, security, and decarbonization facing the industry.
Within the two days of conference, 20 fantastic posters were presented wich was also reflected in the high vote turnout for the audience poster award. We congratulate Ms. Athena Konstantitnovics, Virtual Vehicle Research, who received the audience poster award 2025 for her outstanding poster presentation.
We are very much looking forward to seeing you (again) at the Eco-Mobility Conference 2026 on November 12-13!
Conference Committee:
Dr. Michael Nöst, IESTA, Conference Chair
Prof.h.c. Peter Prenninger, Chairman of A3PS Board
Dr. Andreas Dorda, Honorary Member and Founder of A3PS
Prof. Bernhard Brandstätter, Virtual Vehicle
Dr. Christian Chimani, AIT
Dr. Damian Cupid, AIT
Prof. Franz Haas, TU Graz
DI Christian Sandner, Miba
Prof. Thomas Lauer, TU Wien
Prof. Werner Sitte, Montanuniversität Leoben
Ass.Prof. Alexander Trattner, HyCentA, TU Graz
Dr. Barbara Unterauer, Magna
Mag. Anton Werkgartner, Magna
Programme and Organisation:
Dr. Astrid Wolfbeisser, A3PS
Contact: eco-mobility@a3ps.at
