Volvo Vehicles North America is working with the College of Minnesota (UMN) to conduct excessive climate testing for its Class 8 VNR Electrical mannequin to research the affect of ambient temperature on a truck’s battery life.

UMN has teamed up with Murphy Logistics Options to check the vehicles in Minnesota in winter temperatures and H-E-B Grocery Firm (HEB) in Texas to check during times of intense summer season warmth.

The mission will monitor the outcomes of two Volvo VNR Electrical engineering vehicles with a six-battery configuration rated to supply as much as 275 miles of vary.

Murphy and HEB will function the battery-electric vehicles on freight routes that exceed 250 miles in a day. The drivers have been skilled by the Volvo Vehicles electromobility group to make the most of regenerative braking and different secure driving practices designed to maximise car vary. The VNR Electrical vehicles will go away the warehouse at the start of the day with a 100% state of cost and can ideally return close to empty (~10% state of cost) on the finish of their routes to take full benefit of useable vitality within the battery.

Along with the extreme climate testing, UMN has developed an Clever Vitality Administration System (EMS) to assist fleets perceive how driving fashion can have an effect on vary, in addition to how one can make the most of extra energy-efficient routing and reduce the fee and time required for on-route battery charging. The device makes use of a machine learning-based algorithm to dynamically inform drivers about out there vary and minimal charging necessities, taking load and ambient situations into consideration. The EMS additionally permits greater effectivity and longer vary by way of superior eco-route planning. Thus far, the EMS device has helped Murphy and HEB obtain greater than a 20% enhance in vary, in response to UMN.

“This analysis mission is a important step to making sure the effectivity and reliability of Class 8 electrical vehicles whatever the environmental components,” stated Keith Brandis, VP of System Options and Partnerships for the Volvo Group.

Supply: Volvo