Less batteries, more autonomy: Revolutionizing the electrification of heavy-duty vocational trucks

Effenco recently launched a new, 100% electric solution that is poised to radically transform the vocational trucking sector, one of the most polluting sectors of the transportation industry.

The company has developed a technological solution that makes it possible to offer a 100% electric heavy-duty vehicle at the same purchase price as diesel equivalents. The key is the pairing of supercapacitors, designed using Effenco’s patented technology, with wireless charging stations strategically positioned along the vehicle’s route using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. This unique solution allows a complete electrification of the vehicle with a fraction of the energy on board.

HURDLES TO ELECTRIFICATION – The biggest hurdles to mass adoption of electric vehicles remains cost of acquisition and deploying a recharging infrastructure. By offering a 100% electric heavy-duty vehicle at the same purchase price as a diesel equivalent, the main barrier to electrification is removed.

Should fleet operators opt for a gradual implementation of their charging infrastructure, the company offers range extender options that allow for a transition to full electrification, with an initial 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) associated with improved vehicle fuel efficiency. Full electrification can be achieved gradually as the wireless charging infrastructure is deployed along the vehicle’s route, thus eliminating the second barrier to electrification.

ELECTRIFY DIFFERENT – Effenco, whose name is based on the term “energy efficiency,” has always had a unique way of approaching obstacles. The company first looked at how to reduce the amount of energy a heavy-duty vocational truck requires to perform its tasks. After collecting and analyzing hundreds of thousands of hours of operation under real-life conditions, Effenco first developed a hybrid electric technology that uses supercapacitors to electrify on-board equipment and partially assist propulsion. These supercapacitors are lightweight, offer virtually unlimited charge-discharge cycles and can operate in both cold and hot climates. This is the same technology that forms the basis of the company’s 100% electric propulsion system.

BANKING ON AN ALL-ELECTRIC SOLUTION – Effenco’s all-electric architecture for vocational trucks outmatches current options in terms of costs. By leveraging the power of ultracapacitor technology, induction charging and unparalleled patented AI algorithms, the company offers a revolutionary all-electric powertrain for heavy-duty vocational trucks for the same up-front price as the diesel equivalent. At the same token, this solution delivers unlimited range and requires 20 times less on-board battery storage than current alternatives. “As counterintuitive as it may sound, the best way to successfully electrify heavy-duty vocational trucks is to reduce the quantity of energy on board,” said David Arsenault, president and cofounder of Effenco.

POWER WHERE AND WHEN IT’S NEEDED – Most heavy-duty vocational vehicles, including bucket trucks, waste collection trucks as well as well as terminal and yard tractors, have regular routes that can be accurately predicted using AI-driven algorithms. Taking its energy efficient design strategy to the next level, Effenco used the data collected in real-time during fleet operations to develop an all-electric solution. Using artificial intelligence algorithms, required energy storage capacity can be optimized and the ideal placement of charging stations can be predicted with spot-on accuracy along the truck’s route. This strategy allows for complete electrification requiring a minimal amount of energy on board. All that is required is enough energy to get from one wireless charging station to the next, which is the key to reducing the cost of purchasing an electric vehicle. This can result in GHG reductions of 30 to 100% depending on the number of charging stations in place.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – Effenco is now active in a dozen countries and has more that 80 highly skilled employees busy deploying its cutting-edge technology worldwide. The company’s all-new all-electric powertrain is a testament to the sheer scope of the company’s projects and its willingness to take on the toughest challenges, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Its data-centric, flagship solution is a powerful, efficient and affordable tool on the road to achieving sustainable development.

Principal Image : Truck equipped with Effenco’s full electric powertrain

This partner content was produced for Impulsion MTL 2020 – The International Fleet Management Forum.