Powering the future of freight: Electric trailers and dollies

Australia has the most progressive regulations for heavy vehicle configurations, enabling the operation of larger, longer, and more efficient freight combinations than those permitted in most other countries. As a result, Australia faces a unique set of challenges when transitioning its road freight sector to low- or zero-emissions alternatives.

Local innovation is essential to addressing these challenges, and at the centre of this project is an electric converter dolly, designed for seamless integration with Australia’s multi-trailer high-productivity vehicle configurations. Electric Haulage Australia (EHAULA) aims to demonstrate both the fuel savings and the safety benefits of this approach in an A-double combination.

Participants

• iMOVE Australia
• Electric Haulage Australia
  

Project background

EHAULA is aiming to accelerate the decarbonisation of Australia’s heavy vehicle sector. Building on eight years of R&D and informed by international industry trends and regulations, EHAULA believes that electric-powered trailers and dollies will play a key role in enabling all heavy vehicles in Australia to transition to zero-emission road freight transport.

This technology is designed to target sectors operating at vehicle weights and distances that cannot be effectively addressed by electric trucks alone. To support this new offering, EHAULA plans to deliver electric-powered trailer and dolly technology through the following modular product ranges:

• ThunderHaul™ – Drive controller (Through-The-Road Parallel Hybrid) and drivetrain module designed for integration onto trailers and dollies. Available with a range of electric powertrains to suit different vehicle combination sizes. An optional battery swap interface is also available.
• LightningVault™ – Scalable battery pack to suit required range/weight restraints. Total kWh to be selected based on required trip lengths and balance payload impact.

Industry problems

• Electric trucks are not being designed to handle Australian road train weights, nor do they carry enough energy to meet the demands of all Australian freight tasks. The most successful truck manufacturers in Australia build trucks locally to meet local requirements (e.g. Kenworth and Volvo). The same applies to trailer equipment—most trailers and dollies are built domestically to suit local needs.
• Building electric trucks, trailers, and dollies locally will be necessary to meet Australian-specific demands, as this has historically been the industry’s approach.
• Heavy freight operators cannot currently adopt fully electric prime movers due to range and potential payload reduction, and refuelling limitations – impacting heavy-road freight vehicle sector to decarbonise.
• Prices of electric prime movers add additional barriers of entry.
• Regulatory requirements currently do not allow powered trailers and dollies to be registered (linked to not being eligible to get VTA-granted). Changes to Australian Design Rule (ADR) definitions, updates within specific ADRs, and demonstration of the technology’s safety are required to support the progression of necessary regulatory reform

The opportunity

This project will provide essential information needed to support regulatory changes, providing access to a powered dolly. There is a lot of support currently to start trialling this powered dolly technology (e.g. HVIA Powered Trailers Working group).

The hybrid approach will support the transition and/or provide the additional technology to allow full electric combination to operate (net-zero emission target). This is important in the Australian context given the distance and weight our vehicles travel does not work with an electric prime mover along.

Hybridising standard diesel combinations with a powered eDolly, operators can achieve 40 % fuel savings immediately with lower capital investment.

Project objectives

1. Build an electric powered converter dolly that can be integrated into an A-double combination for testing.
2. Build a 284 kWh swappable battery pack.
3. Complete testing program at Australian Automotive Research Centre, demonstrating combination performance in fuel savings, braking stability and high-speed stability (via Performance Based Standards Lane Change test). This will be used to gain regulatory approval for road access.
4. Updater EHAULA’s Through-The-Road Parallel Hybrid control system software with test data outputs to make this production ready and regulator approved software.

Please note …

This page will be a living record of this project. As it matures, hits milestones, etc., we’ll continue to add information, links, images, interviews and more. Watch this space!