VOLKSWAGEN TRUCKS HGVs HEAVY GOODS VEHICLES ELECTRIC BATTERY SWAPPING LORRIES FOR LONG RANGE HAULAGE TRANSPORTATION

VOLKSWAGEN - HGVs

VOLKSWAGEN HGVs ELECTRIC BATTERY TRUCKS & ARTICULATED LORRIES HEAVY GOODS VEHICLES TRANSPORTATION LOGISITICS

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BLOOMBERG EXTRACT 2018 - Electric buses were seen as a joke at an industry conference in Belgium nine years ago when the Chinese manufacturer BYD showed an early model. Suddenly, buses with battery-powered motors are a serious matter with the potential to revolutionize city transport - and add to the forces reshaping the energy industry. With China leading the way, making the traditional smog-belching diesel behemoth run on electricity is starting to eat away at fossil fuel demand. The numbers are staggering.

China had about 99 percent of the 385,000 electric buses on the roads worldwide in 2017, accounting for 17 percent of the country's entire fleet. Every five weeks, Chinese cities add 9,500 of the zero-emissions transporters - the equivalent of London's entire working fleet, according Bloomberg New Energy Finance. All this is starting to make an observable reduction in fuel demand. And because they consume 30 times more fuel than average sized cars, their impact on energy use so far has become much greater than passenger sedans.

For every 1,000 battery-powered buses on the road, about 500 barrels a day of diesel fuel will be displaced from the market, according to BNEF calculations. This year, the volume of fuel buses take off the market may rise 37 percent to 279,000 barrels a day, about as much oil as Greece consumes, according to BNEF.

Volkswagen are producing battery electric trucks that could benefit from cartridge swapping as a range extender. A market advantage like this could potentially form the basis of a sustainable transport infrastructure to propel clean zero emission logistics into the 21st century for a truly circular economy.

As with buses, all electric HGV fleets have the potential to save the burning of vast quantities of oil.

In 2016, Volkswagen Group announced a corporate "Strategy 2025" that focuses on electrification of its portfolio. The VW Group developed the Volkswagen Group MEB platform chassis that will be utilized in a range various cars and light utility vehicles across several VW Group marques due to its flexibility and floor-mounted battery.

As of May 2018, the VW Group has committed $48 billion in car battery supplies and plans to outfit 16 factories to build electric cars by the end of 2022.

According to VW Group CEO Dr. Herbert Diess, the company will offer 25 electric models and 20 plug-in hybrids by 2020.

MAN SE (controlling shareholder) Acquired a controlling stake in July 2011, making MAN the 10th marque of the Volkswagen Group. 94.36% ownership via TRATON SE since March 2019.

HISTORY

The idea of using electricity for long distance trucking is relatively new. Electric Trucks (ETs) have been around in niche application areas for over a hundred years, but the recent advent of lithium ion batteries has enabled the range of electric trucks to increase to several hundred miles, making them more attractive for operators.

ETs are becoming an alternative to traditional trucks, while creating no local pollution. Due to the high efficiency of electric power trains, running costs are expected to be lower. Their simplicity is also supposed to make maintenance costs much lower.

According to the United States Department of Energy, the cost per kWh capacity of battery packs for trucks fell from $500 in 2013 to $200 in 2019.

However, electric trucks are usually heavier than diesel trucks, the energy density of lithium ion batteries is far less, so very long range trucking requires recharging en route, causing delays, or the swapping of tractor units.

TRUCKS, LUTONS, PANEL VANS - One size fits all. Most existing vehicles might be converted. All you need is the service station. These stations also service buses, coaches and cars, while they provide load leveling mobility security. Trucks come in all shapes and sizes, form rigid flatbeds to articulated lorries, mostly defined by their cubic carrying capacity and weight. The service station above caters for all standard sized vehicles and is Copyright February 2020 © all rights reserved, Cleaner Ocean Foundation Ltd.

GOVERNMENT BLOCKERS

In 1995 the Dti in England confirmed in writing that there was no future for battery electric vehicles, so ruling out the development of swapping station development, until they had a change of heart. Europe and Australia were of a similar mind. The political technology brakes had been applied in typical red flag fashion.

CARB in the USA had already said something similar in 1991, and put that in writing too.

These were opportunities missed, that had to wait for climate warming to get to dangerous levels before anyone might again take sufficient notice of a concept that provides a solution. The time may be ripe to look for development partners in terms of risking precious time against business planning and the making of grant applications that previously had no chance of success due to the perceived lack of commitment on the part of the parties.

The proposed system is ideal for the rapid recharge of trucks; heavy goods vehicles (HGVs). That could mean clean cities free of particulates where lung cancer is at its worst. The same cartridge system will work just as well in buses and coaches, where they share parts commonality in terms of axles and chassis members.

Instant cartridge swapping at dedicated service stations, means that trucks can haul long distances without the need to stand around while fast charging from plug in sockets. There is no need to change tractor units, something we imagine proud rig owner-operators would find unacceptable.

POLICIES

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MAKES OF ELECTRIC TRUCKS

- DAF

- Renault

- MAN

- Mercedes Benz

- Volkswagen

- Volvo

EUROPEAN AUTO MANUFACTURERS INCLUDE:

- Alfa Romeo

- Audi