MAN trials eTrucks
MAN IS RAMPING UP ITS DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTRIC trucks, launching a large-scale and longterm trial of an electric model in Austrian trucking eets.
It’s starting-up a short production run of electric versions of its distribution truck models – and will have its eTrucks ready for the trial to begin in November.
By starting to manufacture electric trucks at its Austrian factory, MAN says it’s “taking a major step closer to electromobility in urban distribution transport.”
It’s an important stepping-stone towards its plans to start limited series-production of its eTrucks from the end of next year and then going into full production in early 2021.
e trial is a partnership between MAN and the Austrian Council for Sustainable Logistics (CNL), which comprises 15 of the country’s largest trade, logistics services and production company
With nine CNL companies running the electric MANs in their daily operations, the trial will give MAN “the ideal opportunity to further develop existing technology for series production,” says MAN Truck & Bus board chairman Joachim Drees.
MAN executive board member Dr Carsten Intra adds: “It will also help us gear our new product portfolio to customers’ requirements.”
CNL plans to increase use of eTrucks for inner-city and suburban distribution transport from 2020 onwards in order to make an active contribution towards reducing emissions in cities.
e trial eTrucks will be 6x2s, featuring refrigerated bodies, swap containers and beverage bodies, plus a tractor unit and semi-trailer combination. ey’ll range from 12-tonne to 26t GVMs.
e concept vehicle that the trial eTrucks will be based on has a 250kW electric motor, delivering 2700Nm of torque to the rear axle via a propshaft, with no gearbox. Auxiliary units, such as the power steering, air compressor and the airconditioning system, are electrically operated and controlled via the energy management system.
e braking energy recovery system converts the kinetic energy of the vehicle into electrical energy during acceleration phases, and feeds it back into high-performance lithium-ion batteries located under the cab.
e additional weight of the electric drive components is compensated for by dispensing with the conventional diesel engine, with the result that the vehicle has the same payload as a similar, standard semi-trailer and tractor unit from the TGS model range.
T&D