Range Energy has announced a partnership with global technology supplier ZF to accelerate the adoption of its electric-powered trailers within the North American commercial trucking industry.

The collaboration will integrate ZF’s AxTrax 2 e-axle into Range’s eTrailer System, aiming to improve fleet efficiency, reduce emissions, and extend the range of hybrid and zero-emissions trucks, according to a news release.

Range’s eTrailer System features a modular battery pack, a smart kingpin equipped with patented control algorithms, and the AxTrax 2 e-axle. The system is delivering projected savings of up to $20,000 per trailer per year in early tests, with up to a 70% reduction in emissions, the company claims.

ZF’s AxTrax 2 is a fully integrated axle-based system designed to maximize battery space while synchronizing with vehicle functions such as braking, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and automated driving. It also enables advanced digital and telematics systems via CAN bus to communicate and share e-axle system information.

Initial customer deliveries of Range’s eTrailer System are expected to begin this year, and the company currently has pre-production units deployed in customer pilots across North America.