Being at the forefront of powertrain products and services, we’re seeing significant momentum building across several off-highway segments that we wanted to draw attention to. In particular, the greatest demand is where electrification delivers tangible operational benefits to the machine user.
Operational benefits
The reduction in noise and fumes, delivered through electrification, is a great boon to many industries where they are being challenged to demonstrate ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). As it means equipment is no longer having to be solely powered using fossil fuels and the methods are more environmentally friendly. And the fact that combustion engines aren’t being used leads to an end of fumes being emitted.
This is something that is highly beneficial and sought after in mining environments, where we’re seeing an increasing interest for electric haul trucks and underground vehicles – which can also lead to a reduced cost in ventilation requirements and safer operations.
The reduced noise experienced from using electric motors and battery systems also has its benefits in construction and earthmoving, where there is a strong push for electric excavators, compact loaders and mini diggers in particular for urban environments.
Responding to environmental demands
When you consider the environmental and sustainable goals of organisations, electric does tend to be more favourable. But we’re seeing that even if an organisation doesn’t themselves have specific ESG goals, they are being driven by demands of the environments in which they operate. Key examples being ports and airports, which are energy intensive industries, and where making the shift to electric – in order to meet zero emission targets – is high on people’s agendas. In these areas the focus tends to be on forklifts and port equipment such as terminal tractors and reach stackers as well as e-tugs and electric vehicles for the transport of passengers.
And for similar reasons, within municipal services street sweepers, refuse trucks and utility vehicles are proudly leading the early adoption in public sector fleets.
Could hybrid be an alternative approach?
Whilst we’ve listed some of the benefits of electrification, it does pose some challenges in certain environments and solely may not be the right solution. For instance, in remote and temporary locations there may be a lack of charging infrastructure or more planning may be required to support this need.
A further consideration is the battery technology, which may not provide sufficient runtime for high-duty cycles and the charging of these could disrupt productivity in continuous-use operations. Additionally, the weight of the battery could increase vehicle weight resulting in a reduced payload capacity.
So, in response to some of these challenges we do work with customers where a hybrid approach is beneficial. This could be the use of biofuels, which are produced from renewable biomass sources and can be used as a transportation fuel when blended with petrol or diesel. It’s a common approach when an organisation is looking to reduce its emissions and dependency on fossil fuels. And when used with electrification it can support heavy-duty transport and enhance the overall efficiency of equipment and further accelerate the transition to electric.
What next for off-highway?
Thinking about some of the headway already seen in the off-highway sector and the reservations that still exist in going fully electric, there are more technologies and trends coming down the line that will impact the sector.
- Research and development is ongoing around battery technology, with a focus on greater energy density, faster charging, and improved safety. As well as optimising power usage, based on real-time workloads and conditions.
- Retrofit solutions are a key trend to enable older machines to transition to electric without full replacement which is cost effective and sustainable.
- Reduced operational inefficiencies is a key driver too, as it supports more efficient energy use as well as utilising predictive maintenance.
And more broadly, the drive for electrification will evolve in the next decade or less as the electrification of mid- to heavy-duty equipment becomes more viable through improved battery ranges, with reduced downtime. There will also be increased pressure to go electric driven by regulation around the need for low-emission zones and delivering against sustainability goals. However, this should be made possible through wider ecosystem development such as on-site renewables, mobile charging and battery recycling.
Why work with a long-term electrification partner
As a systems integrator with experience in industrial and mobile equipment we are well positioned to be a long-term electrification partner to forward thinking manufacturers. From electric powertrains to control systems and software integration, we can support with end-to-end solutions. As well as delivering complete electrification packages for OEMs and retrofitters.
With decades of collaboration expertise, we leverage our strategic partnerships with motors, gearboxes and control system manufacturers to deliver integrated, ready-to-deploy solutions. And the long-term element of our partnership with you – we go beyond integration. Our experienced team can provide diagnostics, analytics, and aftermarket support for long-term reliability.
Get in touch with our team to discuss your next project.