Effenco recently launched its new electric propulsion solution that is set to radically transform the vocational trucking sector, which is one of the most polluting areas of the transportation industry.
The company has developed a technological solution that makes it possible to offer a 100% electric heavy vehicle at the same purchase price as diesel equivalents. The key lies in the combination of supercapacitors, based on Effenco’s patented technology, with wireless charging stations strategically positioned along the vehicle’s route using artificial intelligence algorithms. This unique solution enables full electrification of the vehicle with only a fraction of the energy carried onboard.
BARRIERS TO ELECTRIFICATION – The main obstacles to widespread adoption of electric vehicles remain the acquisition cost and the deployment of charging infrastructure. By offering a 100% electric heavy vehicle at the same purchase price as a diesel equivalent, the primary barrier to electrification is therefore removed.
If fleet operators want to implement charging infrastructure gradually, the company offers range-extender options that allow a transition to full electrification, with an initial 30% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with improvements in the vehicle’s energy efficiency. This electrification can then progress to 100% as wireless charging infrastructure is deployed along vehicle routes, thereby eliminating the second barrier to electrification.
ELECTRIFY DIFFERENTLY – Effenco, whose name is based on the term “energy efficiency,” has always tackled obstacles differently. The company first examined how to reduce the amount of energy a heavy vocational truck requires to perform its tasks. After collecting and analyzing hundreds of thousands of hours of real-world operation, Effenco initially developed an electric hybrid technology using supercapacitors, which allow electrifying onboard equipment in addition to partially assisting propulsion. These supercapacitors are lightweight, offer virtually unlimited charge–discharge cycles, and can operate in both cold and hot climates. It is this same technology that forms the basis of the company’s 100% electric propulsion system.
COMMITTING TO A 100% ELECTRIC SOLUTION – Effenco’s 100% electric architecture for vocational trucks is unmatched in terms of cost. By leveraging the power of supercapacitor technology and inductive charging combined with patented artificial intelligence algorithms, the company offers a revolutionary, fully electric propulsion system for vocational trucks — at the same initial price as the diesel equivalent. At the same time, this solution provides unlimited range and requires 20 times less onboard battery storage than existing options. “As counterintuitive as it may seem, the best way to succeed in electrifying heavy vocational trucks is to reduce the amount of energy onboard,” said David Arsenault, Effenco’s president and co‑founder.
ENERGY WHERE AND WHEN IT’S NEEDED – Most heavy vocational vehicles, including bucket trucks, waste collection trucks, port terminal vehicles, and logistics center vehicles, follow regular routes that can be predicted using artificial intelligence algorithms. Taking its design strategy to the next level, Effenco used data collected in real time during fleet operations to develop a fully electric solution. Thus, thanks to these AI algorithms, it is possible not only to optimize the required energy storage capacity but also to determine the exact ideal location of each wireless charging station, placed along the vehicle’s operational route. This strategy enables full electrification while requiring only a minimal amount of energy onboard the vehicle. You simply need enough energy to get from one wireless charging station to the next, which is the key to reducing the purchase cost of the electric vehicle. This results in GHG reductions on the order of 30 to 100% depending on the number of charging stations in place.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – Effenco is now present in about a dozen countries and employs more than 80 highly qualified people who are working to deploy its cutting‑edge technology worldwide. Effenco’s brand new 100% electric powertrain demonstrates the scope of the company’s projects and its willingness to tackle the toughest challenges such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Its flagship, data‑driven solution is a powerful, efficient, and affordable tool, firmly committed to the path of sustainable development.
Cover image: Truck powered by an Effenco 100% electric system
This sponsored content was produced as part of the Impulsion MTL 2020 event – The international forum on fleet management.
