German supplier ZF has entered into a collaboration with Californian company Range Energy to promote the development of electric trailers (eTrailers) for the North American commercial vehicle market. The partnership will integrate ZF’s AxTrax 2 e-axle into Range’s eTrailer system, aimed at enhancing the efficiency, emissions reduction, and range of commercial trucks.
The AxTrax 2 e-axle, a key component in ZF’s electric drive technology, will be combined with a modular battery pack, an intelligent kingpin, and control algorithms from Range. This collaboration is expected to enable significant improvements in fleet performance. “Range’s eTrailer System is delivering projected savings of up to $20,000 per trailer per year in early tests, and up to 70 per cent reduction in emissions,” ZF said in a statement.
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This eTrailer system is designed to assist hybrid and zero-emission trucks in achieving greater scalability and efficiency. ZF’s contribution includes the AxTrax 2, which is known for its compact design that maximizes battery space and integrates seamlessly with key vehicle functions like braking and automated driving systems.
John Hawkins, Senior Vice President of Commercial Vehicle Solutions at ZF, highlighted the potential benefits of electric trailers, stating, “We believe electrified trailers are a viable solution to help lower emissions for food delivery or transportation of goods, improve fuel economy for combustion engines in the powertrain, extend the range of BEV and electric trucks, reduce exhaust, noise and brake particle pollution, and further improve total cost of ownership.”
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Range Energy plans to deliver the first eTrailer with a ZF axle to customers by the end of 2025, with pre-series vehicles already in use across North America as part of pilot projects. “Time is of the essence to get solutions into the hands of commercial fleet owners and operators,” said Ali Javidan, CEO of Range, emphasizing the urgency of meeting emissions reduction targets.