ABB’s full-electric truck delivers Formula E racecar in time for Bern event

ABB has announced development of a zero-emission electric truck in association with its pilot truck manufacturer partner E-Force One, with the aim of having an all-electric ABB delivery fleet in Switzerland by the end of 2022. The green truck was seen on the streets of Swiss capital Bern for the first time today, and paves the way for sustainable urban logistic solutions.

The truck, which delivered an ABB Formula E ‘Gen2’ racecar to a launch event for this weekend’s ABB FIA Formula E race in Bern, incorporates an electric motor, inverter, traction auxiliary and battery systems from ABB. The batteries are charged with ABB Terra 54 fast chargers and provide enough power for a range of up to 300km.

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The first two trucks will be garaged at ABB’s power electronics factory in Turgi, northern Switzerland. After a test phase of several months ABB’s current fleet of 11 diesel vehicles will be superseded over the next three years by a single-operator fleet of E-trucks. The change will save an estimated 400 tonnes of CO2 emissions every year, for no extra operating cost.

Morten Wierod, president of ABB’s Motion business, said the E-truck is a prime example of ABB’s commitment to technology innovation: “The new powertrain for trucks is a significant piece of e-mobility technology for heavy vehicles. It shows our advancement in developing technologies that are more energy efficient with a lower-carbon output. We will also be using the E-truck in our own daily business operations.”

ABB first to trial fully electric truck deliveries
ABB will be the first company in Switzerland to trial fully electric truck deliveries and they will benefit during the testing period from the established fixed routes between ABB facilities. The longest scheduled distance for delivery within Switzerland is 235km – well within the 300km range of the EF26 three-axle vehicles selected for the trial. A range of up to 500km would be possible with the largest available battery fitted.

The prototype 25-tonne vehicles will be fitted with a 310kWh battery, charged for six hours overnight at the Turgi base. The 360kW ABB motors produce 2700Nm of torque, making the e-truck capable of hauling a 12-tonne load with a standard trailer. Their maximum speed is limited to 85km/h, with negligible road noise apart from that generated by the tyres.

Marcel Schütz, ABB Head of Transport & Trade Switzerland, added: “The E-trucks will cover approximately the same distance every day, so they can be designed explicitly to fit ABB’s needs. This is the perfect logistics solution for our needs.”

ABB says the energy supplied to the charging stations at the trucks’ Turgi base would be sustainably sourced from solar panels and inverters already installed at the factory. Successful integration of a full E-truck fleet into ABB’s logistics operations would significantly enhance the company’s global Mission to Zero commitment, which is aiming to build a carbon-neutral and energy self-sufficient ecosystem for industry, homes and cities.