Concept ELV²

Concept Electro-Truck for heavy-duty distribution traffic

At the beginning of October 2017, the project "Concept electric truck in heavy distribution transport - Concept-ELV²" was launched. The aim of the project is to integrate an electric drive train in distribution transport applications. In view of increasingly strict emission limits, electric freight transport vehicles - especially in urban conurbations - are to take over transport tasks from diesel-powered vehicles, if possible without compromising on performance requirements.

At the ika, the project is being worked on by three different research areas (Energy Management & Drivetrains, Vehicle Concepts & HMI and Traffic Psychology & Acceptance) in the course of different work packages. The contents of the work packages are briefly described below. For specific questions, please contact the project manager.

WP1: Development of a modular operating strategy - Generic energy management approach

In this work package, a generic energy management concept was developed to control the energy flows of the drive and auxiliary consumers. Special attention was paid to the generic approach, which makes it possible to use the same basic control logic for different vehicle superstructures. It was shown by simulation that similar energy characteristics of the vehicle could be achieved in comparison with heuristic and individually adapted operating strategies.

WP2: Optimisation and further development of the current e-axis concept

This work package deals with the analysis of the e-axle, which is now in series production in the Daimler Truck eActros. The axle was simulated and the results analysed. In a further step, two development statuses of the e-axle were measured on a test bench at the ika. The focus was on measuring the efficiency.

WP3: Research into innovative and efficient e-axle concepts incl. construction

The findings from the previous WP2 have been incorporated into this work package. The goal was to build a prototypical e-axis. For this purpose, innovative methodological approaches were developed and applied to generate a gear topology and to evaluate the concept. The gear optimisation was carried out by colleagues from the WZL at RWTH Aachen University. Scientists from the IEM at RWTH Aachen University designed and built a prototypical, innovative e-machine. The final gearbox concept was also built as a prototype (see figure above) and is currently being measured on a test bench at the ika. For this purpose, a high-speed gearbox is used to determine the pure mechanical efficiency without the influence of the e-machine, as is high-end measurement technology. The e-machine is then measured. The poster below briefly describes the development methods used.

WP4: Development and acceptance research of HMI concept

With the help of iterative user studies, an HMI concept for battery-electric trucks was developed that simply communicates the vehicle's consumption behaviour to the driver. The driver is shown secondary consumers, changes in range and recommendations for action in a presentation that is as salient as possible. This easily perceivable and comprehensible display can increase the acceptance of battery-electric trucks by drivers and reduce range anxiety.

WP5: Development of a platform for deployment and charging infrastructure planning in urban environments

In this work package, a webtool for charging infrastructure planning and fleet management was developed. This webtool offers charging infrastructure operators the possibility to identify potentials for the installation of charging infrastructure on a map and thus find attractive locations for the expansion of their own services. For fleet operators, the tool offers the possibility to monitor their own fleet and to have possible approaches for the electrification of the fleet suggested.

WP6: Concept for the extension of electrification to long-distance traffic

In WP6, various technologies for the electrification of long-distance transport were investigated. For example, various recharging strategies and their potential were investigated for battery-electric trucks. For purely battery-electric trucks in long-distance transport, fast charging systems in the megawatt range are necessary in order to be able to recharge the necessary energy quantities in limited break times.

Publications made in the context of the project:

WP3:

1. Auslegung einer elektrischen Antriebsachse für einen schweren Lkw (Sven Köller, Roland Uerlich, Christian Westphal, Marius Franck), ATZheavy duty 14, 18.06.2021, DOI: 10.1007/s35746-021-0423-5
2. Concept ELV² – Design of an Electric Drive Axle for Heavy Distribution Traffic (Roland Uerlich, Sven Köller, Gordon Witham, Christian Westphal), 30th Aachen Colloquium Sustainable Mobility 2021
3. Systematic synthesis and multi-criteria evaluation of transmission topologies for electric vehicles
   Automotive and Engine Technology (AAET), December 2021
   Sven Köller, Vincent Schmitz
   DOI: 10.1007/s41104-021-00101-5

WP4:

1. HMI Concept for the Optimization of the Used Range in Battery Electric Vehicles (Philip Westerkamp, Pia S. C. Dautzenberg, Christopher Brockmeier, Stefan Ladwig & Lutz Eckstein), 07.10.2020, 29th Aachen Colloquium Sustainable Mobility 2020
2. Display of Range Changes in E-Trucks: An Empirical Investigation of Three Concept Variants (Pia S. C. Dautzenberg, Gudrun M. I. Voß, Philip Westerkamp, Sabine Bertleff & Stefan Ladwig) 29.04.2021, 3rd International Conference on Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies Strasbourg, France
3. Display of Range Changes in Electric Trucks: Final HMI Concept Evaluation in a Virtual Reality Simulator Study (Anna-Lena Köhler, Pia S. C. Dautzenberg, Philip Westerkamp, Friedrich Niehaus, Gudrun M. I. Voß, Stefan Ladwig), 06.10.2021, 30th Aachen Colloquium Sustainable Mobility 2021