Page 16 - VTE JUNE

Feature | Truck
Volvo electric
trucks update
Volvo Trucks unveiled two electric trucks in Gothenburg, Sweden and Hamburg, Germany.
The company launched the two-axle 16- tonne (35,275-lb) Volvo FL Electric, powered by a single 185-kW electric motor offering a continuous output of 130 kW and 425 N·m (313 lb·ft) of torque. This drives through a two- speed transmission to the rear axle.
The truck can be equipped with two to six lithium-ion battery packs, offering a driving range of up to 300 km (186 mi).
Charging takes 10 hours using a 22-kW AC connection, while fast charging through a DC connection can be carried out in just 1-2 hours, using a CCS/Combo2 connector with up to 150-kW output.
The second truck was the Volvo FE Electric, with a six-wheel chassis and a gross weight
of 27 tonnes (59,525 lb), it uses two electric motors offering 370 kW or a continuous output of 260 kW. Maximum torque is 850 N·m (627 lb·ft) and the motors run through Volvo’s two- speed transmission to the rear drive axle.
The FE can be supplied with four to six battery packs, depending on range and payload requirements. This delivers 200-300 km (124- 186 mi) of potential range. As with the FL,
the FE comes with both AC and DC charging capabilities, permitting overnight recharging using a 22-kW supply or a 1.5-hour recharge with a 150-kW DC supply.
The first FE Electric truck has been supplied to Stadtreinigung Hamburg, the city’s largest waste service provider.
It has four battery packs for a potential range of 200km, though it is not expected to cover more than 80-100 km (50-62 mi) per shift. This combination allows a similar payload to a conventional diesel, with additional battery packs weighing around 500 kg (1,100 lb) each.
Volvo claims the refuse vehicle in Hamburg will save up to €15,000 per year in diesel costs.
There are no prices available as both models
will not be for sale until later in 2019.
Of the two Volvo FL Electric trucks in trials in Sweden, one used in a refuse operation, with recycling company Renova, while the second is working for haulage firm TGM.
When the trucks go on sale in 2019, the FE will be available in a range of specifications, to suit refuse, temperature-controlled and regular distribution tasks.
As Volvo Trucks owns the Renault Truck business in Europe, it is expected the French truck builder will launch an electric driveline in its two and three-axle rigid trucks later in 2018.
Volvo’s US brand Mack Trucks has announced plans to have a full electric Mack LR refuse model operating in North America in 2019.
Freightliner Automated Truck R&D Centre
Freightliner Trucks premiered two fully electrified trucks, the heavy-duty Freightliner eCascadia and the medium-duty Freightliner eM2 106.
Freightliner plans to deliver an “electric innovation fleet” of 30 vehicles later this year for further real-world testing.
Full-scale production of its proprietary electrification solution in commercial vehicles (CVs) is expected to start in 2021.
The truck maker also announced the creation of an Automated Truck Research and Development Center in the US.
The centre will be dedicated to developing automated driving technology and understanding its impact and benefits in the real world.
Hundreds of engineers located in Portland; Stuttgart, Germany; and Bangalore, India will be focused solely on automated driving, leveraging the know-how across Daimler’s vehicle divisions, including passenger cars.
The new electric trucks and automated-truck facility are part of the company’s plans to invest more than €2.5 billion in total R&D activities in 2018 and 2019, with more than €500 million of that earmarked for e-mobility, connectivity and automated CV technology.
To speed development of electric drivetrains on trucks and buses, the company has bundled all of its electric activities under a new organization called the E-Mobility Group (EMG).
The group will be responsible for defining the strategy for all things electric, from electrical components to full electric vehicles for all brands and business divisions, while also creating a single global electric architecture.
EMG employees will be located throughout
Daimler’s global development network, in Portland, Stuttgart and Kawasaki, Japan.
Fully-autonomous commercial trucks will not be series-produced any time soon, according to Daimler Trucks. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth exploring all aspects of the technology now: Thus, the creation of the new Automated Truck R&D Center in Portland, dedicated to the development, testing, and validation necessary for high levels of automation.
This exploration includes software, sensors, machine learning, and simulation, as well as the adaptation of the base vehicle platform. The new R&D facility will also serve as a center for co-creation, where customers, suppliers, and business partners can provide their input.
16 | June 2018