Danish engineering group Danfoss has completed an epic journey with one of its electric trucks, travelling more than 1,300 kilometers (800+ miles) from Denmark to Le Mans, France, to coincide with the 24-hour race event, together with 48 electric cars.

The 20-tonne and 17 meter-long electric truck joined what the organizers called “the world’s biggest electric road trip.”

The road trip departed from Danfoss’ headquarters in Nordborg, Denmark on 12 June, crossing the border into Germany and reaching the Netherlands later that day for a lay-over. On June 13, the delegation continued from the Netherlands through Belgium to its final destination of Le Mans in France. 

The truck is part of Danfoss’ fully electric truck fleet. It participated in the three-day journey to highlight the electrification and decarbonisation potential of HGVs and the range of technological solutions that already exist today. 

Torben Christensen, Danfoss chief sustainability officer, said: ”Forty eight percent of all trucks in Denmark drive less than 300 kilometers per day and 62% of all heavy-duty truck journeys across the EU are under 400km. Therefore, we see neither technological nor practical barriers to converting to fully electric trucks.

”To ensure the best possible productivity, the charging infrastructure should primarily be established at locations such as freight terminals, so that loading time is equal to charging time. That’s why we sent one of our electric trucks to Le Mans to prove that it is possible to cover longer distances already today.

”In other words, for a large part of the trucks, there is no reason to have range anxiety, and at the same time electrification of heavy transport will make a significant contribution to the green transition.”

The E-truck is part of Danfoss’ internal operations, driving cargo between production facilities and logistical sites and also sports solutions and components from Danfoss’ own portfolio including the ED3 onboard charger and the SKAI High Voltage (HV) traction inverter.

Danfoss Editron supplies the ED3 onboard charger and electric power supply to Volvo electric trucks, which enables fast overnight AC charging. The ED3’s dual functionality provides 43 kW of power, enabling a truck to charge overnight using readily available AC power outlets, minimising the charging infrastructure costs for the end-users. 

Danfoss said that while DC charging is more rapid and usually the preferred option, the ability to rapidly charge with AC power and plug directly into the utility grid for charging is crucial to providing flexibility for HGVs. 

This product also acts as a 44 kW electric power take-off (ePTO) to power vehicle auxiliary functions, such as the compressors on refrigerated trucks and compactors on refuse trucks, as well as work functions on off-highway vehicles such as excavators and wheel loaders. 

In addition, Danfoss Semikron supplies its SKAI High Voltage (HV) traction inverters for Volvo Trucks’ electric trucks. The traction inverter plays a crucial role in controlling the flow of electrical energy from the battery to the electric motor that drives the vehicle, enabling precise control of the flow, which ensures smooth acceleration, deceleration, and efficient energy consumption. 

Aerial photo of the truck outside of Chartres, France

 

The journey was organized as a non-profit event by the company GodEnergi with the aim of dispelling range anxiety and to demonstrate that it is possible to electrify transport to a much greater extent than currently perceived. 

Jan Darville, chief executive of GodEnergi said: “We are 115 participants in this road trip who love motorsport and cars, and at the same time want to prove that it is possible to cover long distances in electric vehicles.

”The technology and the opportunities are there. We are pleased to be joined by Danfoss and their electric truck since it is a company famous for their solutions and technology within electrification.”

Danfoss Semikron supplies its SKAI High Voltage (HV) traction inverters for Volvo Trucks’ electric trucks. The traction inverter plays a crucial role in controlling the flow of electrical energy from the battery to the electric motor that drives the vehicle, enabling precise control of the flow, which ensures smooth acceleration, deceleration, and efficient energy consumption. 

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