ZF’S NEW ELECTRIC DRIVELINE AT HEART OF NEW ISUZU ELECTRICS TRUCK INDUSTRY ANNOYED AT LACK OF HEAVY COMMERCIAL DETAIL IN GOVERNMENT ELECTRIC VEHICLE STRATEGY

together to change legislation that will allow these vehicles to operate here in Australia,” he added.

Merrick explained that the lack of political decisiveness on the issue is hindering investment decisions, and needlessly shackling Australia’s economy.

“The stakes are too high to ignore this issue any longer,” he said.

The HVIA says that it is a position that is unilaterally supported by industry associations, manufacturers, and all suppliers to the road freight transport industry.

In its submission on the draft National Electric Vehicle strategy in 2022, HVIA said it highlighted the need for a review of heavy vehicle steer axle mass limits.

THE COMMERCIAL Vehicle Solutions division of global transmission and drive components company, ZF’ has announced that it has started production of its new CeTrax lite electric central drive.

ZF’s CVS division says it has used synergies from ZF’s development and production of passenger car electric drives to develop the new driveline and to adapt it for use in light commercial trucks.

Designed as a highly integrated electric drive, ZF says CeTrax lite provides significant advantages for manufacturers worldwide, particularly supporting emission-free urban and ‘last mile’ deliveries. The technology has already received orders from Asia and the Americas. The production started in Friedrichshafen, using the Groups competence coming from passenger car technology.

One of the first customers, is Japanese manufacturer and Australian truck market leader Isuzu, which has said it will install the drive in its new ELF EV trucks, set to make their debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in October this year.

“As an electric central drive, CeTrax lite allows our customers to electrify their existing vehicle platforms. This proves our technical approach and further demonstrates the trust customers are placing in our electric solutions,” said Winfried Gründler, head of product line for Driveline

Systems with ZF’s Commercial Vehicle Solutions division.

“Designed for silent, emission-free inner-city and ‘last mile’ freight delivery, CeTrax lite provides leading levels of performance and efficiency.

As such it represents an important new milestone in our ‘Next Generation Mobility’ strategy and reinforces our commitment to decarbonisation of the industry,” added Gründler.

ZF said that the new driveline would provide a smart ‘turn-key’ solution to support the needs of light-duty commercial vehicles, saying that the technology supports the architectures of conventionally fuelled vehicles as well as manufacturers’ electrification strategies. ZF added that it has leveraged in-house developed components and wider eMobility system synergies including sharing test benches in Friedrichshafen.

The CeTrax driveline has been designed for light commercial vehicles up to 7.5 Tons, and has a peak performance of 150 kW and a torque of 1,500 Nm. The company says it has optimised compact design of the CeTrax lite to help maximise space for electric components and batteries.

The company says that the module is a fully integrated system, housing the electric motor as well as a singlespeed transmission stage and power electronics. In addition to its enhanced flexibility, the system offers a lightweight design at around 120 kg.

LEADING TRUCK MANUFACTURER,

Volvo has expressed dismay at the lack of a clear strategy for zero emission commercial vehicles in the Federal Government’s first National Electric Vehicle Strategy which was announced by Minister Chris Bowen recently. T&TA approached other truck manufacturers for comment on the Government national Electric Vehicle Strategy but Volvo was the only maker to respond.

The lack of detail on heavy commercial vehicles in the strategy flies in the face of the fact that the national heavy vehicle fleet currently accounts for about four per cent of the total vehicle fleet, but are responsible for about 25 per cent of the transport emissions.

A spokesman for the Volvo Group told us News that it was disappointing that the National EV Strategy did not have any clear guidance for heavy commercial transport which needs some serious regulatory changes and incentives to ensure targets for zero emission are met.

“The industry needs considerations on such things as front axle weights, as well charging networks, and a range of other issues, otherwise we will not be in a position to meet Volvo Group’s target of 30 per cent zero emission vehicles by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2040,” said the Volvo spokesperson.

“It is very disappointing, particularly with the lack of clarity on vehicle weights and standards with zero emission trucks,” the spokesperson said.

Backing this up, Volvo Group Australia president, Martin Merrick speaking at the launch of Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week in late April, provided crucial insights from the manufacturer’s perspective, emphasising his company will not meet its zero emission vehicle target in Australia if action is not taken by the government.

“Volvo Trucks now have a full range of heavy-duty electric vehicles that we intend to launch in Australia this year, with a view to manufacturing these vehicles right here in Brisbane by 2027,” Martin Merrick said.

“However – let me be clear – these targets will not be met, unless we have all levels of government working

“I call on all levels of government to create a taskforce to deal with this issue as a matter of urgency.

“This is not a Volvo problem; this is a zero-emissions future problem; this is an industry-wide problem,” the straight talking Volvo boss said.

The Brisbane based Heavy Vehicle Industry Association ( HVIA) also reacted strongly yesterday, backing up what the Volvo Group said, however the Truck Industry Council which purports to be the peak industry body for truck manufacturers has not made any public statements so far.

The HVIA said in its statement yesterday that the heavy vehicle industry’s position on the regulatory changes needed to support nextgeneration Zero-Emissions Vehicles (ZEVs) is clear but needs urgent action by the Government and its policy and regulatory agencies.

“Current truck axle load limits are too low,” said HVIA chief executive, Todd Hacking.

“If not addressed, they will completely strangle efforts to decarbonise the industry, preventing it from contributing to Australia’s mandated emissions reductions targets,” Hacking said.

“Allowing heavier electric and hydrogen trucks is vital in opening up access to new low and zeroemissions heavy vehicles,” HVIA’s National Policy and Government Relations manager, Greg Forbes, said at the time.

HVIA’s chief technical officer, Adam Ritzinger, detailed the technical need for steer axle mass limits review and proposed four practical actions that can be implemented by regulators right now.

“We are on a path to becoming the highest emitting industry in Australia if nothing is done,” he said. He called on road managers such as state roads authorities and councils to urgently classify roads based on their current structural capacity, leading to the development of networks that can support the heavier axles of zeroemissions trucks.

“The only missing piece is the regulatory framework to support us.

“HVIA urgently calls on government at all levels to accelerate truck axle mass regulatory reform,” Hacking said.

“The ongoing contribution of the industry to Australia’s economy and emissions reduction targets is at stake,” he concluded.