When it comes to the electrification of the transport sector, the focus is usually on passenger cars or vans. But heavy-duty and payload transport must not be lost sight of here either. The Paul Group has taken on this area of the transport revolution. For example, the company from Vilshofen an der Donau in Lower Bavaria, together with Mercedes-Benz Trucks and Liebherr Mischtechnik, has developed the prototype of a fully battery-electric concrete mixer.
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The battery-electric mixer is based on the Mercedes-Benz Arocs series. The electric drive train integrated by Paul offers a continuous output of more than 300 kilowatts as well as a peak output of more than 400 kilowatts. The company equips the vehicle with an electric central motor solution. This means that the Arocs' tried-and-tested planetary axles can still be used to provide the ground clearance and off-road capability needed for rugged construction site operations.
Choice of six or seven battery packs
The electrically driven Arocs, which has an 800-volt electrical system, can be configured with six or seven battery packs, each with 60 kilowatt hours of usable energy. With seven battery packs, according to initial calculations, ranges of well over 200 kilometres are possible with continuous operation of the concrete mixer on the construction site. Two to three battery packs are installed in the tower behind the driver's cab, the others under the driver's cab and in the chassis.
Operating concrete mixers with vehicle batteries
The electric truck mixer body ETM-905 with its drum with a capacity of nine cubic metres draws its energy from the vehicle batteries via a high-voltage interface. When the concrete mixer is connected to a charging station with 150 kilowatts of power, the battery can be charged from 20 to 80 per cent within about 1.5 hours. However, it will also be possible to refuel the truck at AC charging stations - for example when it is in the depot at night.
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The electrically powered Arocs is to be available in small series from the end of 2023 with flexible configurations as a four- or three-axle truck with Liebherr's driving mix bodies as well as with a flatbed or as a tipper. Sales will be handled by the Paul Group and Liebherr Mischtechnik. "E-drive, batteries and vehicle management have been optimally put together and integrated by Paul to enable the high load that such a construction vehicle must permanently withstand, both off-road and in urban areas, and especially with an electric concrete mixer," explains Bernhard Wasner, Managing Director of the Paul Group. (su/mfo)
