Volvo Vehicles North America is working with the College of Minnesota (UMN) to conduct excessive climate testing for its Class 8 VNR Electrical mannequin to research the influence of ambient temperature on a truck’s battery life.

UMN has teamed up with Murphy Logistics Options to check the vehicles in Minnesota in winter temperatures and H-E-B Grocery Firm (HEB) in Texas to check in periods of intense summer season warmth.

The undertaking will monitor the outcomes of two Volvo VNR Electrical engineering vehicles with a six-battery configuration rated to supply as much as 275 miles of vary.

Murphy and HEB will function the battery-electric vehicles on freight routes that exceed 250 miles in a day. The drivers have been educated by the Volvo Vehicles electromobility workforce to make the most of regenerative braking and different protected driving practices designed to maximise automobile vary. The VNR Electrical vehicles will go away the warehouse originally of the day with a 100% state of cost and can ideally return close to empty (~10% state of cost) on the finish of their routes to take full benefit of useable power within the battery.

Along with the extreme climate testing, UMN has developed an Clever Vitality Administration System (EMS) to assist fleets perceive how driving fashion can have an effect on vary, in addition to the way to benefit from extra energy-efficient routing and reduce the price and time required for on-route battery charging. The software makes use of a machine learning-based algorithm to dynamically inform drivers about out there vary and minimal charging necessities, taking load and ambient situations into consideration. The EMS additionally allows increased effectivity and longer vary by means of superior eco-route planning. Up to now, the EMS software has helped Murphy and HEB obtain greater than a 20% enhance in vary, in keeping with UMN.

“This analysis undertaking is a crucial step to making sure the effectivity and reliability of Class 8 electrical vehicles whatever the environmental elements,” mentioned Keith Brandis, VP of System Options and Partnerships for the Volvo Group.

Supply: Volvo