Alternative drives at the NUFAM: It doesn't always have to be diesel

Biogas, electricity or hydrogen: fleet operators who want to say goodbye to fossil fuels will find several solutions on the market. The extent to which the new technologies prove themselves in practice is being tested in numerous trials by well-known logistics service providers and shippers. Even today, it is quite conceivable that the western world will become largely independent of oil in the medium term.

NUFAM shows the state of the art

The alternative drive systems become tangible not least at trade fairs. There is no manufacturer who does not intensively deal with the topic and develop corresponding products. This year's NUFAM commercial vehicle fair is the next big platform where you can see, feel and experience the state of the art.

Iveco S-Way with natural gas or LNG

Iveco offers, for example, the Iveco S-Way, which can run on natural gas or LNG. The truck is considered the first natural gas-powered truck developed specifically for international long-haul transport. In the 4x2 LNG version, it offers a range of up to 1,600 km. Among the customers is Edeka Minden-Hannover, whose fleet is to be completely powered by bio-LNG by the end of 2025. In 2022 alone, the company ordered 150 Iveco S-Way LNG. Another 125 will be added in 2023. Thanks to the first bio-LNG filling station on the premises of the Edeka logistics centre in Lauenau, the trucks are almost CO2-neutral on the road. Bio-LNG is the only scalable renewable fuel today.

50 percent less energy costs

Ford Trucks, Ford's only global brand for heavy commercial vehicles, will also present its innovations in Karlsruhe. The US company assumes that every second truck sold in Europe will be emission-free by 2030. Accordingly, the company already presented its first fully electric truck last year. The trucks, with gross weights of 18 to 26 tonnes, are expected to cut energy costs by almost half compared to current levels. Maintenance costs are also expected to drop by two-thirds, as electric vehicles have fewer moving parts to maintain. Ford expects the e-truck to have a lower total cost of ownership than diesel vehicles over a four-year period.

When it comes to electric-powered commercial vehicles, Renault Trucks is not to be left out. With its E-Tech range of vehicles, the French offer a range of up to 560 km, realised with 6 battery packs of 94-kWh each. In addition to the distribution vehicles based on the D series, Renault also has an electric variant of the Master van in its range.

Supplying cities emission-free

Where the big companies cannot yet offer solutions, the medium-sized conversion specialists come into play. At NUFAM, the company Orten Electric-Trucks will be demonstrating its expertise. Orten sees itself as a retrofitter for city logistics - in other words, for emission-free delivery to urban traffic areas. The Orten Electric Trucks product range is designed with this in mind. This includes a complete range of electrified van solutions in the 4.25 to 7.49 t gross vehicle weight range, which can be driven with the B driving licence and the old class 3 driving licence. In addition, Orten has been working on the topic of hydrogen for some time. Together with its partner Efa-S Zell, for example, a 26-tonne Actros was converted to hydrogen propulsion.

Purely electric refrigeration

Exhibitor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Thermal Transport Europe also shows that refrigerated transport and electric drive do not have to be a contradiction in terms. The Japanese company is presenting its all-electric TE 30 cooling system, which works in purely electric vehicles but can also be used in diesel-powered vehicles. The TE 30 works autonomously and thus independently of the vehicle's drive and electrics. The vehicle engine can be switched off completely - the cooling continues to run reliably.

Pioneer in sustainable refrigerated bodies

TBV Kühlfahrzeuge GmbH will also be demonstrating its know-how in the field of electric mobility at NUFAM. TBV is considered a pioneer in sustainable refrigerated bodies and vehicles. Back in 2016, TBV developed the first electric refrigeration system available in Germany whose operation was supported by solar energy. Since 2018, the system has also been available for the deep-freeze sector.

In general, TBV has specialised in the development of self-sufficient electric cooling systems whose energy supply does not access the vehicle's energy storage. Field-tested applications exist, for example, for the StreetScooter, the Nissan NV 200 e and the Mercedes e-Vito.

Addax: conspicuous appearance

The Belgian manufacturer of electric commercial vehicles, Addax Motors, will be among the eye-catchers at the NUFAM trade fair. The Addax MT is designed for narrow streets and corners in an urban and industrial environment. The MT can be individually adapted to the customer's needs. The Addax MTN already meets the strict safety standards of vehicle class N1 and the MTX model has a 50 cm longer chassis compared to the MTN.