AN ELECTRIC TEST DRIVE CIRCLES LONDON

A ELECTRIC TEST DRIVE CIRCLES LONDON

PowerTorque’s European Correspondent, Will Shiers, attempts to get into the record books, circumnavigating London in a zero tailpipe emissions 16-tonne Renault Range D ZE.

Aquick Google search on vehiclerelated records reveals that Rob Gibney once drove his car in reverse for 807.39km, while Han Tue managed a 46-minute lap of the Nürburgring on two wheels.

While these are clearly both amazing feats, and something the record holders should be immensely proud of, they aren’t nearly as exciting as the record I’m attempting to set. If all goes well I’m about to become the first person in the world to complete a lap of the M25, London’s infamous orbital motorway, in an electric truck on a single charge.

My truck of choice for this electrifying feat is a battery-powered 16-tonne Renault Range D16 ZE. The truck has a claimed range of just over 200km, and seeing as a lap of the M25 is 190km, it’s definitely doable. However, throw in some congestion and adverse weather conditions (both of which are forecasted), and it’s definitely going to be a close call.

My journey starts at Cobham Services, south west of London, and about 15 miles from Heathrow Airport. I’ve had to take it to the car charging area, because as of yet there aren’t any truck charging points anywhere on the UK motorway network.

That’s not a surprise really, considering that the first electric trucks are only just starting to appear on our roads. The charging area is a hive of activity. Several electric car owners are deep in conversation, swapping notes and comparing ranges and charging times.

It’s like some sort of exclusive club, and its members have a definite air of self-importance and superiority about them. I get the distinct impression that the Renault isn’t welcome here. They certainly aren’t happy that it’s taking up three charging bays anyway. If I could be bothered to talk to them I’d point out that the battery-powered truck they’re looking down their noses at costs several times more than their cars.

It takes two hours to charge the truck’s four 66kWh batteries using a 150kW DC fast charger like this (or overnight with a 22kW AC charger), but fortunately the Renault is almost fully charged now, and I’m soon sitting in the cab and ready to go.

Anyone expecting a Tesla-esque interior is going to be sorely disappointed with the Range D ZE, as it’s just a bit ... normal. There’s no central seating position, fancy tablet screens or pulsating lights to thrill and excite. Instead, what you get is a series of analogue dials and a small digital display, which gives you all the need-toknow information at a glance. Personally I think it’s great. I immediately understand what everything does, without needing to call my 11-year-old daughter for a computer lesson.

Of all the information in front of me, the most important for this journey will be the ones that show the battery life and range. They’re currently on 99 per cent and 225km respectively.

I head out of the services, and am immediately struck by how quiet and smooth the drivetrain is. The truck has 425Nm of torque, and it’s available from a standing start, meaning effortless acceleration.

I drive up the slip road, indicating to join the carriageway. With no diesel engine to drown it out, the indicator seems incredibly loud. In fact, you don’t realise quite how noisy modern diesel trucks are until you experience full-electric. At low speeds you can hear so much more, including the power steering pump, and even the creaking suspension components. The traffic is flowing freely at the moment, and I set the adaptive cruise control to the maximum 90km/h.

Although plated at 16 tonnes, thanks to UK alternative fuel weight dispensation rules, it is able to run at 16.7 tonnes. That said, on this occasion I’ve chosen just to put 3 tonnes in the back of the box body. It is fairly representative of what the truck would be doing in the real world. After all, I’ll be carrying the weight the entire way around.

After 5km, the battery life is still on 98 per cent. A quick calculation in my head tells me I might be OK, and my range anxiety begins to wane. However, my relief is short-lived, as I embark on a particularly long climb. While my speed doesn’t fall, the battery life does. I’m fixated by the dashboard display, and watch in dismay as the battery’s capacity drops, one percentage point at a time.

There’s another gauge that informs me of my continual consumption, which is in kW per 100km. It’s a totally new metric to me, and might as well be measuring moon dust. I’m told that a vehicle of this size should be consuming roughly 1kWh per km, but it’s considerably less on this hill.

But what goes up, must come down, and it’s a massive relief when we start to descend the other side. As the truck’s speed begins to creep up, so I ease off the ‘gas’ pedal, which is met with gentle regenerative braking.

The power metre needle moves into the blue section, indicating that I’m now putting power back into the battery. As the speed continues to increase, I intervene, manually engaging the regenerative brake. It’s located on a stalk to the left of the steering wheel, where you’d normally find the engine brake on a diesel-powered Range D. It has five stages, and the first is powerful enough to keep my speed in check on this descent. The needle is firmly embedded into the blue now.

Making good use of regenerative braking is a great way to extend an electric truck’s range. When you use the service brakes you’re wasting heat energy. It’s far better to use the regenerative braking, putting that energy back into the batteries. In terms of other range-extending driving tips, it’s the same techniques as fuel efficient driving in a diesel truck, accelerating gently and lots of anticipation.

Suddenly it begins to rain, causing me to turn on the windscreen wipers and headlights, both of which will consume additional battery power. I gaze at the battery display, half expecting to see it depleting before my very eyes, but it’s still on a respectable 80 per cent. They’re clearly not as power-hungry as I thought.

There’s a 30 minute crawl to the Dartford Tunnel, which passes under the River Thames. It’s a great opportunity to play with the regenerative brake. I soon learn to vary my speed accurately using the lever, feeding it in and out, like you would with a conventional brake pedal.

Although the dense traffic conditions are having a slightly detrimental effect on the battery life, it’s nowhere near as bad as I initially fear. In fact, I’m more than a third of the way around now, and have consumed less than 25 per cent of the battery’s power.

Feeling more confident about my chances of completing this journey under my own steam (and not behind a recovery truck), I start to unwind a bit more. To my great surprise, I’m fast discovering that with range anxiety no longer such an issue, the D ZE’s cab is becoming a rather relaxing and tranquil environment. There’s no diesel

GREASE FREE 5TH WHEELS

• 30 + years in the market place • Clean, grease-free fi fth wheel • More cost effective • Easy to fi t • Consistent steering characteristics • Environmentally friendly • Australian designed & manufactured • Used by some of the most highly respected companies since 1990

EZI EURO 16B

EZI JGL

WE STOCK AFTER-MARKET REPLACEMENT KITS TO SUIT MOST GREASELESS OR LOW LUBE FIFTH WHEELS

IS MANUFACTURED IN AUSTRALIA BY: EZI PRODUCTS PTY LTD

engine clattering away beneath me, and no multiple gear changes either. Dare I say I’m actually beginning to enjoy this drive?

There is a £3 ($5.50) toll to use the tunnel, and there’s no reduction for electric trucks. In fact, other than exemption from London’s Low Emission Zone and Congestion Charging Zone, there are no financial incentives for making the switch from diesel to electric.

I’m halfway around now, and still have 70 per cent battery life. The traffic has eased, and I’m feeling more relaxed all the time.

I get a clear run for the next 75km, and then once again grind to a halt. Crawling along beside me is a brand new Porsche Taycan 4S. I give a friendly wave of acknowledgment to the glamorous passenger who’s looking my way, after all, she’s in an electric vehicle too. But she quickly turns away. Perhaps she hasn’t noticed the truck’s livery. Perhaps she simply doesn’t care. I wonder if she’d be more interested if she knew that the Renault costs four times more than her boyfriend’s Porsche!

She’s not alone either, as nobody seems to be paying the D ZE any attention. One of the reasons for this is that it just looks like any other 2-axle rigid truck. But then that’s a good thing. its natural habitat is city streets, where it will inevitably suffer damage to nearside bumpers, panels and steps. Being a regular Range D cab, all the parts are straight off the shelf.

As I pull into Cobham Services, the odometer clicks onto 190km, and incredibly the battery still has 39 per cent life left in it. According to the trip computer, that’s enough to do a further 65km. That’s quite an amazing result considering I’ve been driving for three hours and 22 minutes.

Despite my initial concerns, it’s been a stress-free journey, and has gone a long way to changing my view of electric vehicles. Yes, range anxiety is a very real thing, but with a bit of forward planning, there’s nothing to be scared of.

Besides, these trucks are likely to be carrying out an almost identical number of drops every day. So if they complete their rounds on Monday, they will complete them every other day of the week too. In fact, thanks to Renault’s battery performance promise, they should be completing them every day for 10 years.

Having proved how easy it is to circumnavigate London in an electric 16-tonner, this raises the question of how many trucks operating within the M25 could be battery-powered. There must be thousands of delivery vehicles doing less miles than I’ve just done, all returning to base every night.

Of course, it’s not as simple as that, as there’s the estimated £320,000 ($600,000) price tag to overcome. I know we all have an obligation to save the planet, but how many operators can afford to?

Purchase prices will eventually fall, but until they do, the UK needs a substantial government incentive to kick-start the takeup of electric trucks. Without it only the UK’s biggest operators will gain the invaluable experience of operating them. The others will be forced to wait until they become mandated, and then have to deal with short, steep learning curves.

Unlike the Renault’s batteries, as I pull up at the charger I feel a bit flat. I was hoping for a fanfare and fireworks to celebrate my achievement, but instead all I get is an abusive comment from an electric Audi driver, who doesn’t like that I’m parked over three bays. Next time I’m doing it on two wheels and in reverse.

Unlike the Renault’s batteries, as I pull up at the charger I feel a bit flat.

It takes two hours to charge the truck’s four 66kWh batteries using a 150kW DC fast charger.

SPEC SHEET Model: Renault D ZE 4x2 Motor: 400V AC synchronous, permanent magnet Power: 130kW continuous, 185kW peak Torque: 425Nm Batteries: 4 x 66kWh lithium-ion (total 265kWh) GVW: 16 tonnes (plus 700kg dispensation) Payload: 6.9 tonnes (7.6 tonnes) Body: 6.8m box with tuck-away tail lift

ANOTHER AWARD SINGLES OUT MIRROREYE VISION SYSTEM

Stoneridge is a pioneer of digital camera ‘mirror’ systems for heavy trucks where rear-facing cameras located high on each side of the cab display images on tall monitors located in the cab on the A pillars, PowerTorque’s US Correspondent reports.

Laurent Borne has been named winner of the Automotive Hall of Fame Industry Influencers Award for his participation in launching the MirrorEye, an innovative rear vision system that can replace conventional glass mirrors on the exterior of a big truck.

MirrorEye is the first camera monitor system to receive a federal exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), allowing MirrorEye-equipped trucks to operate on the road with an integrated system of cameras and digital displays as an alternative to conventional mirrors. An important feature of this exemption is the option for fleets to run without conventional mirrors to gauge the full benefits of mirrorless systems and experience and realise the fuel savings possible when external mirrors are removed.

And fleet experience by some of North America’s leading fleets that are driven by safety show MirrorEye makes the roads safer through driver vision enhancement. The system significantly improves safety by reducing blind spots, making the driver more aware of dangers around the vehicle, and provides enhanced s where it is difficult to see with traditional mirrors.

The design and operation of the systems enhances operating efficiency through improved manoeuvrability and economy. Equipped with self-cleaning and defrosting functions, the system eliminates issues related to rain, dirt and ice. An advanced image rendering system also blocks sunlight reflections, and infrared-enhanced colour night vision improves the range of low-light performance.

I have driven trucks equipped with mirrorless vision systems and can say that after a relatively brief familiarisation I can understand why drivers in the test fleets are highly reluctant to give up these systems. The familiarisation has less to do with the images on the monitors. When driving a heavy truck, the tendency is to continually peek at the external mirrors to assess changing situations as drivers go down the road. But when you go to look in the mirror, there’s nothing there and you have to redirect your attention to the monitors in the truck with you.

And that is a safety-plus feature as there’s no blind spot from the mirror housings of conventional mirrors, however well they are designed. Also, since there’s no glass to obscure them, the images in the monitors during inclement weather, especially rain, are beautifully sharp and unobscured.

Another big plus is that the cameras automatically track the rear of the trailer making sharp corners easy to track and avoid curbing or side-swiping other vehicles.

Infra-red technology produces daylight-quality images at night, too.

The Industry Influencers Award reflects the Automotive Hall of Fame’s commitment to the future of the motor vehicle industry and honors individuals who are influencing and leading through their actions, innovation and visible positions on issues surrounding the automotive industry and its future, notes the press announcement for the award.

Borne joined Stoneridge in 2018 as chief technology officer and was appointed president of the Electronics Division in January 2019. According to the announcement, he has transformed Stoneridge’s strategic direction, product portfolio and engineering organisation to develop systems-based solutions and platforms that make commercial vehicles safer and more efficient. Borne led the launch and subsequent roll-out of the MirrorEye systems in North and South America and In Europe.

Borne was selected as one of six winners by a panel of judges and will join a lifelong community of esteemed Automotive Hall of Fame members. Award winners were recognised during an induction ceremony on July 22, 2021.

“I joined Stoneridge during a pivotal growth period,” said Borne. “Our renewed focus on data-driven solutions is advancing vehicle electronics that improve safety, efficiency, emissions control and intelligence. Thank you to the Stoneridge leadership team and Electronics Division who also deserve recognition for their part in driving this innovation. As a team, we will continue to develop vehicle solutions that benefit the industry and society, as well as poise Stoneridge for the future.”

“THE DESIGN AND OPERATION OF THE SYSTEMS ENHANCES OPERATING EFFICIENCY THROUGH IMPROVED MANOEUVRABILITY AND ECONOMY.”

TALKING ABOUT VELOCITY

PowerTorque talks with the new owners, from the USA, of a major truck dealership operation here in Australia.

Earlier this year, Velocity, a major US truck dealership group, acquired the Daimler Truck dealerships, owned by the Eagers Group in Australia. This development has grown out of the strong relationship the group has developed in the US, as the owners of 36 Freightliner outlets across the US.

The business originally got into the truck game in the US, by buying three underperforming dealerships and turning them around. On that foundation the group is now the largest Daimler Trucks dealership group in the SouthWestern USA, and growing into the South-East of the country.

The organisation in Australia, which it now owns, consists of around 670 employees, 15 dealership locations. There is a presence in all of the major metro areas like Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Gold Coast, Mildura and several other smaller locations.

The strong relationship formed in the US means the aspiration of Velocity is to take the lessons learned over the years and, where appropriate, apply them here in Australia. The market may look similar, but Velocity does realise there are a lot of differences under the surface.

“We were in a similar situation in the US 12 years ago, to the one we have in Australia today,” says Dan Stevens, Velocity Senior Vice President, who has come over from the US to get the operation up and running. “Mercedes Benz has picked up market share quite quickly here, and that happened to us with the Cascadia back then. Suddenly, we had a lot more trucks on the road, and customers started calling us and Daimler and saying our service was inadequate. ‘We can’t get trucks in, you keep them too long, you’re not communicating well’.

“Some of our competition was doing it better than us, so we sat down with Daimler and told them part of the reason we were hard to do business with was because they were too hard to do business with. We needed things like technical support on the weekend and they weren’t there.

“We decided we had to become better partners so that our mutual customers would have a better experience. We simplified processes, got cheaper, better, faster. We started a 12 year process, the old Toyota continuous improvement philosophy. Eventually, it took hold and confidence and trust rose until it took on a life of its own.”

“We know that if we apply continuous improvement to these new businesses, they will get better. The change management process is the hardest to get embedded. But once it’s embedded, it lives.”