German Tier 1 supplier Mahle will premier a new range extender system for heavy-duty freight trucks at the upcoming IAA trade show in Germany. It says that its new range extender system for heavy electric (BEV) trucks can pave the way for a faster changeover from diesel trucks (that currently dominate the parc) to electric.
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Range extender electric trucks, it says, can combine the sustainability of electric drive systems with the flexibility and range of the internal combustion engine. Further, they can assist the cost-intensive road transport sector to lower total cost of ownership over the vehicle life cycle and facilitate climate-friendly investments. In addition, range extender BEVs contribute to achieving European carbon dioxide fleet targets.
With its electrification products for commercial vehicles, Mahle says it is among the market leaders in Europe and is also expanding its presence with Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturers, who are increasingly entering the European market with battery-electric trucks.
“With high-performance technologies and production-ready products for electrification we are aiming for further growth,” said Arnd Franz, Chairman of the Group Management Board and CEO of Mahle at a tech event held by the company in Stuttgart.
At this year’s IAA Transportation, which is to be held in Hanover from September 15 to 20, Mahle is exhibiting under the motto of “Electrified. Efficient. Economical.”
The company is presenting its new range extender system as a world premiere as well as other high-efficiency products for greater sustainability and improved economics in the transport sector. In addition to products for battery-electric trucks and hybrids, the technology group is showcasing technologies for the use of renewable fuels for the road transport sector.
At the IAA in Hannover, Mahle will be showcasing its new range extender system for heavy electric trucks as a world premiere.
“Our range extender is a smart “emergency power unit” that is activated at precisely the right moment and significantly increases the range available,” said Dr. Marco Warth, Vice President Mahle Corporate Research and Advanced Engineering.
The key component of the new system is a high-voltage generator with a continuous output of 110 kilowatts (kW) and a peak output of up to 130 kW, driven by a compact internal combustion engine. The high-voltage generator supplies reliable power to the electric drive system even on difficult trips with a full load, Mahle says. Its architecture can be adapted easily to the performance requirements of a variety of applications and regional markets, the company maintains.
The generator has a power density of more than 7 kW per kilogram, allowing a high power output with reduced weight and simplified interfaces.
Mahle has developed its range extender system as an autonomous unit combining generator, internal combustion engine, thermal and fluid management systems, fuel tank, AdBlue tank and exhaust gas treatment in a compact “box”. This unit will fit into the normal battery installation space of a battery-electric truck and can therefore be integrated into existing battery-electric vehicle platforms “without any problems”. The system replaces about one-third of the present battery capacity of a battery-electric truck, allowing the truck to be equipped with a smaller battery. As a result, Mahle says the rear axle load is reduced by about 400 kg and the total vehicle weight by about 600 kg.
Further, Mahle claims a range extender BEV truck can reach a total range of more than 800 km, with the battery providing about 400 km and the range extender the remaining 400 km.
The company also says that under real-life operating conditions, the truck emits about 80 percent less CO2 in range extender operation than a truck with a conventional drive system. If the internal combustion engine, which is biofuel-ready thanks to MAHLE components, is operated with renewable fuels such as the advanced HVO100 bio-diesel, the truck has virtually zero CO2 emissions, Mahle maintains.
