New electric trucks from E-Force One AG receive batteries from ecovolta
May 13, 2019
E-Force One, the supplier of electric 18-ton class trucks worldwide, is set to begin equipping its vehicles with lithium-ion batteries from the Swiss manufacturer ecovolta.
At the specialist exhibition The smarter E Europe 2019, E-Force One AG will be showcasing its new EF18 SZM semi-trailer truck with an output of up to 550 kW. At companies such as Lidl and Coop, predecessor models currently travel up to 6,000 km per month each and have already covered over 1.5 million kilometres in total.
Electric trucks are preferred for both urban and regional goods transport, enabling zero-emissions and low-noise lorry traffic. To keep up with this trend, E-Force One AG has developed a concept for individually modifying each vehicle to the type of route and necessary distance it has to travel as well as the charging technology with which it interacts. Not only can each semi-trailer lorry be potentially outfitted with different battery sizes attuned for the trip profile in question, there are also two different varieties of drive mechanism to choose from. The individual components are assembled into a singular package for each and every vehicle.
The EF18 SZM is equipped with permanent magnet synchronous motors capable of outputting either 440 kW or 550 kW of power, with a battery capacity between 105 kWh and 630 kWh. This combination allows the vehicles to reach speeds of up to 85 km/h and climb inclines of up to 16 percent.
CEO of E-Force One AG, Stefan Aufdereggen says, “Our electric heavy trucks require especially safe and flexible battery solutions with a high energy density. It is precisely in this area that ecovolta can show off the strength of its battery packs. Their high energy density reduces the weight of the battery, making the vehicle lighter as a whole.”
CEO of ecovolta Pirmin Reichmuth adds, “Commercial electric vehicles often have typical trip profiles for which their drivetrains and batteries can be optimised. One given type of vehicle may therefore require a different battery than its twin. Manufacturers who would like to optimally customise their products to users’ needs typically require modular battery solutions. At the same time, batteries still need to reach a level of standardisation which maintains efficient product development and production.”
Through its design, which makes possible the high energy density of up to 480 Wh per litre, ecovolta’s patented battery concept significantly speeds up vehicle development. evoTractionBattery models boasting various certifications, including UNECE R 100, are available with voltages ranging from 24 to 96 volts and capacities of 2.5 kWh to 15 kWh. The customisable electrical connection of up to 16 batteries in series and a parallel connection of as many as 32 strings enable a potential battery voltage of 24 to 829 volts.
