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Thetrucker.com EQUIPMENT & TECH SEPTEMBER 2023 • 25 Batteries included Electric drive axle trailers add new dimension to decarbonization choices CLIFF ABBO<strong>TT</strong> | SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT All the hype about different brands of heavy-duty electric trucks is enough to confuse anyone, especially anyone who’s currently driving an old-fashioned truck with an internal combustion engine. While electric rigs have a place in trucking, many in the industry agree that the current technology doesn’t have the range for longhaul operations. Even if long-range capability was there, the nation’s power grid isn’t in place yet for charging. In other words, electric vehicles (EVs) have a long way to go. One company, however, is using EV technology to produce something drivers might see and use in the not-too-distant future. That “something” is an electric trailer, the creation of Mountain View, Californiabased Range Energy. The RA-01 dry van trailer, equipped with batteries, motor and drive axle, can provide enough extra horsepower to save the tractor owner 30% to 40% on fuel costs while increasing overall safety, according to company leadership. Range CEO and founder Ali Javidan grew up around trucks and machinery, studying mechanical engineering and working in the racing field. He followed that experience with a stint at Tesla, then Google, and finally Zoox, where he helped develop the company’s robotaxi service. Javidan brought those experiences to Range — along with a new idea. “All this pressure is being put on Class 8 Courtesy of Range Energy Battery-powered dry van trailers can help conserve fuel usage when teamed with diesel-fueled tractors, according to product developer Range Energy. fleets to decarbonize, but when I look at the methods being presented, it’s like, the fleets aren’t going to use this. Are you kidding?” he said. “Everybody’s talking about the tractor. Nobody’s talking about the trailer.” Javidan’s solution is a trailer that adds to a tractor’s power on uphill roads and to the its braking power on downgrades, all without any additional actions or input from the driver. The system starts with the “smart” kingpin, which senses when the tractor is pulling or braking and relays the information to an electric motor that drives the front axle of the trailer bogie. The harder the pull, the more power is supplied, easing the strain on the tractor’s drive train on upgrades and when starting out in heavy traffic. On downgrades, the axle helps slow the vehicle. In testing, the effect was enough to cause the driver to turn off the engine brake to keep the truck rolling at the targeted speed. While it’s slowing the truck, the system is also generating electricity that’s used to prolong the charge in the batteries. “It’s a simple dry van or reefer trailer. We clip a battery pack to the bottom of it, right under the skirt,” Javidan said. “We put a sensor in the king pin and then we replace a drive axle with a driven axle. And then, all of a sudden, we unlock this whole new world.” That battery power is also available for other uses. It can be used to power lift gates, landing gear or other electrical devices, without hooking to a trailer. The drive axle can even be configured to generate electricity full time when the vehicle is moving, providing power for an electric temperature-control unit; however, the fuel savings would be impacted. Javidan says the system will be rolled out through a major trailer manufacturer, and customers will have the option of specifying the Range system. The system can also be installed on existing trailers. “We’ve developed the process for retrofit so that a single person with a small toolkit and a forklift can retrofit two trailers per day by himself,” Javidan said. “We actually spend a whole day in the maintenance shops,” he continued. “We’ve basically developed our retrofit procedure so it works in every one of these service shops. It will also work in a pop-up tent that they may put on the side of their yard to use as a ‘small assembly plant.’” The Range Energy trailers will also be available through trailer leasing operations, allowing carriers to try out the technology before investing in a purchase. Charging the powered trailers won’t require the construction of a bank of vehicle chargers or a change to the local grid. See TRAILERS on PAGE 28 US Class 8 truck sales still strong despite losing steam in July iStock Photo Earlier this year, with a projected recession on the horizon, analysts predicted a drop in truck sales. Those projections have mostly been revised, with the recession delayed (if it occurs at all). CLIFF ABBO<strong>TT</strong> | SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT U.S. sales of new Class 8 trucks in July were higher than in the same month of 2022, according to information received from Wards Intelligence. Manufacturers reported U.S. sales of 21,021 units in July, the lowest total since February but still up 2.5% from the same month of 2022. If the trend continues, August could mark the first time in 2023 that monthly sales were lower than in the same month last year. Compared to June sales numbers, 3,064 fewer trucks were sold, a decline of 12.7%. For the year to date, manufacturers have reported sales of 156,864 Class 8 trucks on the U.S. market, up 18.1% (23,797 units) from the same point in 2022. Early projections for 2023 predicted sales would fall off as the economy entered a recession and freight rates bottomed out. Those projections have mostly been revised, with the recession delayed (if it occurs at all), and truck sales remaining strong. Orders for new Class 8 trucks in July were anticipated to top 16,000, exceeding orders in July 2022 by 45%. Typically, July is a slow month for orders because manufacturers are closing their books for the current model year and have yet to start taking orders for the next one. “July is the traditional low-water mark for monthly order placements,” said Kenny Vieth, president and senior analysts at ACT Research. “2024 orderboards are not yet, or just barely open, making the opportunity for bigger numbers elusive.” Eric Starks, chairman of the board at FTR Intelligence, commented. “We had expected net orders to fall below 10,000 units monthly several months ago as fleets wait for OEMs to open 2024 build slots, but that did not occur.” The used Class 8 market declined in sales volume from June numbers by 4%, according to ACT’s “State of the Industry: U.S. Classes 3-8 Used Trucks,” but other numbers were favorable to prospective buyers. Compared with July 2022, sales have increased by 34%, due at least in part to greater used truck inventory. At the same time, the average price of a used Class 8 truck has fallen 28%, and average miles and age have also fallen. That’s good news for buyers who have been waiting for the market to loosen up. One factor that will impact truck markets in some way is the bankruptcy of Yellow Corp. The company’s website sports the claim that it was the fifth-largest transportation company in the U.S., handling 90,000 freight shipments daily. While negotiations continue for financing to allow continued operation at the time of this writing, it’s certainly possible other carriers could purchase part or all of the com- See TRUCK SALES on PAGE 26
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