What are the challenges of the electrification of off-highway equipment at this time and what does the longer term maintain? Stefan Eichler from Danfoss Energy Options provides his knowledgeable perception
A key participant in off-highway car elements, Danfoss Energy Options is now, like a lot of the business, centered on sustainability and decreasing or eliminating emissions. With over 17 years expertise on the firm, senior supervisor Stefan Eicher is effectively positioned to take the long-term view of the electrification mega pattern.
How do you see electrification advancing within the subsequent 5 or 10 years?
The drivers are altering, so electrification will advance quicker than anticipated. To start with, it was about carbon footprint and sustainability. Now, it’s extra about whole value of possession (TCO) and bettering the machine efficiency with electrification. Till now, now we have had electrified, formally diesel-driven machines, however OEMs are beginning to design their machines for the aim of being electrical. Gross sales are growing due to this, and OEMs are actually growing their manufacturing of electrical machines.
Proper now, there’s uncertainty out there. Prospects forecast excessive however order low as a result of they’re unsure about funding. By way of normal tendencies, all the foremost firms are on board however there are totally different drivers by market. Agriculture, for instance, is closely electrifying, however tends to go hybrid. They wish to preserve the diesel however in addition they wish to cut back the TCO and noise ranges.
How will machine design change?
Standard machines had been constructed across the diesel engine, even within the mechanical construction, for instance, with a crankshaft, the extension of the crankshaft and the pumps. The superstructure of the machine will look totally different should you design it for an electrical drive. There’s no want for exhaust therapy, and at this time that’s as huge because the diesel engine. So you will have extra space to work with and subsequently extra flexibility in designing the machine. You may also put the motor in vertically which is inconceivable with a diesel engine.
“Till now, now we have had electrified, formally diesel-driven machines, however OEMs are beginning to design machines for the aim of being electrical”
Are there any widespread misconceptions about electrification?
Electrification doesn’t simply imply a battery; it’s way more. Many individuals are involved concerning the infrastructure bringing power to the place it’s wanted – such because the cable within the floor being too small. So you’ll be able to both enhance the battery capability on a machine otherwise you put a battery on the website and use it to cost a couple of machine. We have to rethink the place the power is and the way we offer the power. In off-highway, there are answers already confirmed in use.
What different applied sciences will emerge round electrification?
Electrification is the enabler for autonomous machines. At the moment, all people is missing operators, warehouses and on-highway trucking. If we actually begin considering from a TCO perspective and electrify, autonomous automobiles are the pure subsequent step. We’re already seeing it with a variety of massive OEMs who’ve developed proof-of-concept driverless excavators and wheel loaders, for instance.
This text was first printed within the August concern of iVT Worldwide
