From December to March, MAN integrated the upcoming large-series e-truck into its annual winter testing in northern Sweden. There, the MAN eTruck, suitable for daily ranges of between 600 and 800 kilometres, proved that it also works without problems in ice, snow and temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees. Driving functions and range, air conditioning, and charging behaviour were the focus of thousands of successful electric test kilometres under Arctic conditions.
"The winter tests were a complete success. Our engineers put the new eTruck through its paces day and night under the toughest conditions. As a result, the maturity level is already extremely high, and the development team is working with great passion on further trials to provide our customers with an optimal product for the switch to CO2-free road freight transport," says Dr Frederik Zohm, Executive Board Member for Research and Development at MAN Trucks & Bus.
Around 30 test engineers braved the polar winter with cold, snowstorms and only a few hours of daylight for approximately four months to bring the new MAN eTruck further towards series production readiness. In the process, they tested the overall energy management, the cooling and thermal management of the battery packs, the interaction and control of the powertrain components as well as the charging behaviour under the extreme winter conditions, among other things, on four prototypes with different battery, e-motor, transmission, axle and cab configurations of the later series production range.
"Interdisciplinary teams are the key to preparing the eTruck for all customer requirements and operating conditions. Our goal is to be able to cover a large part of today's application portfolio electrically with the new eTruck. For example, the CO2-free long-distance transport of refrigerated goods in the classic semitrailer combination will be just as possible as the collection of milk from the organic farmer with the electric food tanker or the low-noise and emission-free waste disposal in the city," explains Rainer Miksch, Vice President Vehicle Testing, MAN Truck & Bus.
The winter test was just the beginning of a series of numerous vehicle and component tests that will put the new MAN eTruck through its paces until its market launch. Batteries have to prove their resistance to open fire, immersion in water and a free fall to the ground, individual components, as well as the entire vehicle, have to pass demanding crash tests, but also noise measurements and tests on electromagnetic compatibility are just some of the numerous upcoming validations that will make the truck ready for series production.
In addition, the new eTruck will cover hundreds of thousands of kilometres in continuous operation on European roads. In addition to winter testing, this also includes so-called hot-land testing in the south of Spain with outside temperatures well above plus 40 degrees and intense sunlight, which heats components to an extreme and places very specific demands on the temperature control of the batteries, the charging management system and also the powertrain components.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL TEAM FROM NINE AREAS
To bring the new MAN eTruck further towards series production readiness, tests were carried out in northern Sweden on four prototypes with different battery, e-motor, transmission, axle and cab configurations of the later series production range. Among other things, the overall energy management, the thermal management of the battery packs, the interaction and control of the powertrain components and the charging behaviour under extreme winter conditions.
A dedicated, highly competent and cross-functional team from nine development areas came together at the Arctic Circle. "Interdisciplinary teams are the key to making the eTruck ready for all customer requirements and operating conditions," explains Rainer Miksch, Vice President Vehicle Testing, MAN Truck & Bus. "Because our goal is to already be able to cover a large part of today's application portfolio electrically with the new eTruck," Miksch continues. "This ranges from distribution transport of all kinds to heavy long-distance transport."
The CO2-free long-distance transport of refrigerated goods in the classic articulated truck combination will thus be just as possible as the collection of milk from the organic farmer with the electric food tanker or the low-noise and emission-free waste disposal in the city.
The winter testing was just the beginning of a series of numerous tests that still lie ahead for the new MAN eTruck and its components until the market launch. In addition to the winter test in Sweden, the new eTruck will cover many hundreds of thousands of kilometres in continuous operation on European roads. In addition, the so-called hot country test will also take place in the south of Spain in the summer - with outside temperatures well above plus 40 degrees and strong sunlight. There, the components are strongly heated up and very specific demands are placed on the temperature control of the batteries, the charging management, but also on the powertrain components.
Rainer Miksch sums it up: "Meeting the different operating conditions with a view to the diverse applications of our customers is the art of commercial vehicle development." But now that the eTruck has more than fulfilled the MAN team's expectations in winter testing, the entire test and development team is already looking forward to the upcoming validations and summer testing in order to get a step closer to large-scale production of the electric truck.
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