Range Energy, a supplier of all-electric trucks to the commercial trucking market, has announced a new partnership with ZF.
With the global technology supplier, Range will work to accelerate the development and adoption of its eTrailer System within the North American commercial trucking industry. Together, the companies will integrate ZF’s AxTrax 2 e-axle into Range’s eTrailer System in an effort to address critical fleet demands, such as greater efficiency, emissions reductions, and range extension, while more broadly aiming to advance the widespread scalability of hybrid and zero-emissions trucking.
In addition to supplying its electric axle to Range, ZF will also help accelerate the supplier’s relationships with ecosystem partners, including component suppliers, and integrations with trailer and tractor OEMs. The eTrailer System at the center of the partnership includes a modular battery pack, the ZF AxTrax 2 e-axle, and a smart kingpin equipped with Range’s control algorithms. Range highlighted that the system can help customers save up to $20,000 (£16,072 / €19,275) per trailer per year in early tests, while reducing emissions by up to 70% with existing equipment and infrastructure used in both cases.
The AxTrax 2 e-axle that will be integrated into this system is an axle-based, fully integrated system, with a compact design that helps maximize available space for batteries, while enhancing design flexibility for future vehicle concepts. It is designed to be fully synchronized with key vehicle functions, such as braking, ADAS and automated driving systems, to enhance vehicle safety and efficiency. The e-axle also enables advanced digital and telematics systems through CAN bus to communicate and share important system information.
Initial customer deliveries of Range’s eTrailer System are expected to begin this year, with pre-production units currently deployed in customer pilots across the North America region.
