The first roadworthy prototype of its electric heavy-duty truck, by the chair of “ Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components” (PEM) with fuel cell equipped to extend its range.
The vehicle is being developed as part of the “SeLv” research project funded by the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport with around 16.9 million euros. The abbreviation stands for “Heavy trucks for emission-free logistics in heavy-duty transport using electrification modular systems and an economical production system”.
On the occasion of the “Elektromobilproduktiontage” (EPT) in Aachen, the university presented a current prototype.
As per project manager Fabian Schmitt, “We pursue a holistic approach that makes it child’s play to automatically organize all routes, including refueling stops and breaks, by entering the destination,”
“Fast refuelling ensures that logistical processes are maintained in the best possible way,” says Schmitt.
The project will be continued and industrialized by the RWTH spin-off Moion GmbH.
“The electrification of heavy-duty traffic continues to be a major challenge for climate protection,” says PEM Director Professor Achim Kampker. “In order to meet the high energy requirements of heavy trucks and to realize locally emission-free long-distance transport, we have to exploit the technological advantages of the fuel cell. In addition to fleet renewal, the electrification of the many existing vehicles is also necessary.”