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33 DAF LF
Game Charger
The truck industry on a global scale is on the cusp of the biggest change since the introduction of the diesel engine back in the late 1800s. Words: Matthew Eisenegger
The entire talk around the industry is of electric vehicles. Car and van manufacturers have been actively selling their products for a good few years. Truck manufacturers have had vehicles in development for many years, but trucks provide a whole different set of operating restrictions over that of cars and most certainly vans. Payload and range being the two main considerations. DAF has been very hard at work and recently showcased a number of EV offerings aimed primarily at the urban and inner-city delivery and collection sector. Already entering service is the ‘all new’ LF Electric. Destination Net Zero Magazine managed to get behind the wheel and put it through its EV paces.
By invitation of the DAF marketing team, we were invited along to the Leyland assembly facility where The LF Electric was temporarily based, before heading out on fleet and dealer demonstrations. The route chosen would take us away from the production facility towards Preston and then onto the seaside resort of Lytham and St Annes. From there we would head up the coast to Blackpool. What better way of paying homage to probably the oldest surviving form of EV Transport in Britain, the legendary Blackpool tram? Running up the Golden Mile we then passed the famous pleasure beach as well as all three piers and of course the iconic Blackpool tower. Then we headed back through the back streets of Blackpool, followed by a short burst down the M53, before returning through Preston to the Leyland manufacturing facility.
The look and style of the LF Electric is identical to its diesel-powered sibling. Only an expert can spot the boxed batteries on the side of the frame. Other than that it is identical. The technology is the key to this vehicle. The LF Electric has four battery modules combined into two battery packs on both sides of the chassis. The three temperature-controlled lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries provide 2504 kWh regardless of the outside temperature.
Charging Up
When it comes to charging, the LF Electric can be charged by an external direct current (DC) charger, or an alternating current (AC) charger. This means that it is not always necessary to invest directly in expensive (DC) charging equipment. In most cases, low-cost AC charging equipment will suffice to charge the LF electric. To operate the LF Electric in city distribution applications, the CCS charging connector on the LF electric meets the Combo 2 protocol and is positioned on the driver’s side. Either the left-hand side or righthand side of the chassis is possible depending on the driving position. Power delivery comes from a Dana permanent magnet motor, which provides motive power and recovers electrical energy during braking. Efficiency is maximised thanks to the direct drive design and with its brushless construction, the motor is maintenance free. Many vehicles engaged in urban or inner-city work need to provide additional power to ancillary equipment. DAF makes an optional E – PTO available with the LF Electric that delivers 400V AC, making it ideal for the supply of power to refrigerated bodies. The CEE socket is mounted at the rear of the cab and can be directly used to power most refrigeration units. The LF electric has a gross vehicle weight of 19,000 kg, with an unladen weight (with dry freight box and tail-lift) of 9,900 kg giving a payload of just over 9,000kg.
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On the road
Driving the vehicle is very similar to a diesel powered LF. All the driver needs to do is turn the ignition key to bring the system to life, select the driving mode and that’s about it. On the dashboard, the battery charge rate and range will be displayed. As with a traditional automated shift, the rest is down to the driver’s right foot.
Moving away is brisk, in fact very brisk. Joining a dual carriageway, the vehicle accelerates very quickly up to road speeds - a carry-over characteristic from electric cars. That well-known phrase, “range anxiety” also comes to the fore, with the truck driver constantly monitoring the range and planning the route ahead. What is of interest are the behaviour traits of the driver. In fact consideration needs to be given all the time to range and the fact that if you run out of charge you are going to be in a spot of bother, because the vehicle cannot be recovered in a traditional way.
The vehicle really comes into its own when running in an urban environment. As you would expect, it operates in near silence. Diverting away from the coast road we went through the beautiful seaside town of Lytham, with its main street flanked with very nice outdoor eateries, which were busy, as we glided past in virtual silence.
Driver Training
The key to the success of running any type of EV is going to be driver training. Regardless of diesel or electro-mobility, the driver is fundamental to fuel and power usage. Utilising the vehicle’s mass and kinetic energy will play an important part in achieving maximum range and efficiency.
DAF predicts a range of 280km - about 175 miles. There is a level of regenerated power that can be harvested that will help ease the burden of range restrictions, if the driver puts the regeneration to good use.
The LF Electric, as you would expect, has been engineered to within an inch of its electric life. On the road what surprises is that there are no surprises. Acceleration is brisk, in fact probably too brisk but other than that it drives like a normal truck. Obviously, payload becomes a consideration due to the weight of the batteries. On any urban distribution cycle, a range of 175 miles should easily satisfy a large portion of delivery and last mile scenarios.
The whole process of acquiring an EV is vastly different to that of a diesel truck. It’s more a case of how you adapt business to these new technologies rather than having them just drop straight in and go to work. The actual DAF element of the acquisition process is the easy bit as user confidence already exists in the brand and its dealer network. Rest assured the LF Electric will have been highly engineered.
There are other serious considerations too. There is no truck charging infrastructure on the UK’s highway and motorway network, meaning the operator will be totally reliant on depot charging. Firstly, the business will need to establish if indeed there is enough electric capacity in the grid to serve the premises. Then comes the process of getting power and charging points into the premises. It may be the location is wrong from the perspective of either not enough electric capacity, or the location is too far from the distribution point, exhausting the vehicle’s range before being able to return to base. Sometimes it could well be a more costeffective option just to simply find a brand-new site with everything ready to go.
From an operational perspective, the main considerations need to be understanding the route and what range requirements are needed. The key to getting the best out of any EV is planning. Obviously, these types of vehicle only suit a certain type of operator and the work that they undertake. In an urban distribution environment they do provide the perfect solution for zero tailpipe emissions.
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