electrification

Eaton taps into electric, connected expertise

ATLANTA, Ga. – Eaton’s commercial vehicle group is leveraging broader automotive and electric expertise as it prepares for a future that is increasingly electrified and connected. A newly launched e-mobility business segment – combining elements of the company’s vehicle group and electrical business – is one of the latest signs of that. “There’s going to be a requirement for more power electronics on board,” observed Larry Bennett, director of vehicle technology and innovation, referring to the possibility of three-voltage systems on commercial vehicles. Eaton Electrical, currently responsible for 60% of company revenues, will help to apply lessons from buildings, leading to new smart power management tools and power distribution strategies, he said. There’s already been an increase in electric powertrains for buses and lighter vehicles, of course. And Eaton expects fully electric valvetrain actuation to be a reality within a decade. Hydraulic lash adjustments, now used in passenger cars, could soon manage intakes and exhaust in heavy vehicles as well.

Context: Understanding electric trucks

Electric trucks seem to be all the rage today, just as natural gas was to be the industry's salvation just a few years back. There's not much excitement in natural gas today, though it remains a viable alternative fuel. Electric trucks, on the other hand, are just beginning their climb to prominence. Interest in electric trucks peaked in November with the world's first look at Tesla's Electric Semi. Whether Tesla can carry the torch for battery-powered heavy trucks remains to be seen, but Elon Musk isn't only player in the market. Transpower's electric Class 8 tractor uses a conventional drivetrain, but with a 400-horsepower electric motor. It has a range of up to 160 kilometers at full load. I drove a fully electric plug-in Transpower USA Class 8 tractor back in 2015. That truck had been in field tests at the port of Long Beach, California, for two years prior to that. The company made headlines recently announcing a partnership with Meritor that will make its technology commercially available in the spring of this year.

Mack tests truck by wires using eHighway

GREENSBORO, NC - Mack has added to the growing list of electrified truck prototypes, showcasing a plug-in hybrid electric driveline as part of a zero-emission eHighway demonstration in Carson, California. The Pinnacle day cab drew power from Siemens-produced eHighway infrastructure, which came in the form of a mile of catenary systems -- similar to those used to power trolleys or streetcars. Energy was transferred through a "current collector" from Siemens. The demonstration near the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach was in partnership with Siemens, sponsored by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. "Mack continuously investigates alternative solutions to diesel, and the catenary system is just one of a number of projects in which we are currently involved," said Jonathan Randall, Mack's senior vice president - North American sales. The manufacturer has explored several ways to reduce Greenhouse Gases, using everything from plug-in hybrid electric powertrains to alternative fuels such as dimethyl ether (DME).

Path to electrification not straight to linehaul: Mack

OAKLAND, CA - Mack Trucks continues to see a healthy future for diesel engines, even as alternatives like electrification begin to emerge. "Diesel today, it's performing extremely well. It's cleaner than it's ever been, it's robust, it's versatile," said Roy Horton, director - product strategy, during a briefing in Oakland, California. As for talk about electric trucks? "It's almost a little bit of an uphill battle there." Electrification is "on the bubble, and it's something everyone is looking at," he said, admitting that the recent unveiling of Elon Musk's Tesla Semi attracted attention. "It's definitely going to be part of our future." Just not for longhaul. Not right away. Mack believes the earliest adopters of electrification will be operations with the chance to charge at a home base and not depend on general infrastructure for fuel. That includes refuse, local delivery, and public transportation fleets.

Tesla rolls ahead with Class 8

HAWTHORNE, CA - Elon Musk has officially unveiled the all-electric Class 8 Tesla Semi, following months of speculation and delays. Now the question is whether his company will become the industry disruptor it wants to be. A pair of prototype day cabs unveiled in California on Thursday featured a streamlined bullet-like design, evoking a look traditionally left to concept vehicles. And there were plenty of world media representatives there to share in the experience, each shepherded into a secure hanger for a brief peek. Just a day before, Musk went so far as to tweet this truck "can transform into a robot, fight aliens, and make one hell of a latte". Yes, it was hyperbole - there was no cappuccino machine anywhere -- but the Chief Executive Officer and product architect attracted plenty of attention for his latest announcement. More than 1,000 people were on hand for the launch, cheering every point that Musk made, especially when a new roadster rolled out of the back of the trailer.

Chanje electric vans unveiled in U.S.

BROOKLYN, NY - Chanje is here. The Chinese-based vehicle manufacturer (pronounced "change") has officially unveiled its electric medium-duty panel van in Brooklyn, New York, with Ryder taking delivery of 125 units for its rental and leasing fleet. The initial rollout will be in key California markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego, as well as New York and Chicago. Ryder will provide parts distribution, service and support. "All the trends in diesel are going in the wrong direction," said Chanje Chief Executive Officer Bryan Hansel, noting that diesel equipment is increasingly expensive to build, purchase, and maintain. China's demand for electric vehicles is expected to outpace North America's needs in coming years, but the U.S. market sets the highest bar for vehicle reliability and safety, and it is home to some of the largest delivery companies and consumer brands expected to use the vehicles, Hansel says. This is being developed as a "world" truck for markets here and elsewhere, and the company says it has invested about US $1 billion in the design and related tooling. But Canada's official rollout has to wait for now. "It's demand-driven. We're certainly going to be inquiring to see the uptake opportunity," Hansel said, referring to Canada as a parallel market to the U.S. "It seems like a natural progression."

Navistar, VW promise electric powertrain

ATLANTA, GA - Navistar will bring a medium-duty electric powertrain to the North American marketplace by 2019/20, drawing on technical expertise available through Volkswagen Truck and Bus. "There is an opportunity for electric and electric vehicles in the North American market," said Troy Clarke, chairman, president, and Chief Executive Officer, referring specifically to the Class 6/7 segment. "It is still in the early stages of the product development cycle there, but that's the target." Volkswagen officially secured a 16.6% stake in the company in March, and is already expected to bring a big bore diesel powertrain to North America by 2021 in addition to sharing other technologies. It won't be Navistar's first foray into electric vehicles. The company launched its Class 3 eStar van several years ago, but that model was ahead of its time, Clarke said in a presentation during the North American Commercial Vehicle Show. MAN, a European nameplate owned by Volkswagen, recently released an electric truck of its own in the form of the eTruck.

Cummins commits to electrification and more

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - Cummins is pledging to launch a fully electrified powertrain in 2019, and a range-extended electric powertrain in 2020. But senior executives stress that these rollouts will be for urban transit vehicles, and that electrified long-haul trucks are still years from reality. "We are not just a diesel engine company," proclaimed Chief Executive Officer Tom Linebarger, during a Wednesday conference call. "Technology is what we do. Innovation is what we do." An internal electrification business group is combining Cummins expertise with selected partners, as they collectively develop power storage, related electronics, and traction motors.