Browse Topic: Fleets

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SAE TOMORROW TODAY - Removing Roadblocks to Fleet Electrification1351806/07/2025
What does it really take to electrify America's fleets? From skyrocketing insurance rates to policy risks to reduced incentives, the market dynamics are complex. Enter Electrada, a Cincinnati-based EV infrastructure company revolutionizing how fleets transition to clean energy. As the developer, owner, and operator of electric fueling assets, Electrada offers a unique 360 Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS) model that delivers zero capital investment, 99%+ uptime, predictable pricing, and expert management. Serving all fleet types across multiple transportation sectors, Electrada designs fully tailored, long-term EV charging solutions that reduce cost per mile from day one with no operational disruptions or price risk. Listen in as we sit down with Kevin Kushman, CEO of Electrada, to discuss the challenges and opportunities in the North American fleet electrification market. We'd love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to podcast@sae.org
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORRO TODAY BRIEFS - Scaling Software-Defined EV Fleets1351204/24/2025
When it comes to electrifying commercial vehicle fleets, one company offers a transformative modular platform that can drastically reduce the time to market. REE Automotive is a publicly traded company that designs and manufactures advanced software-defined vehicles (SDVs) that are fully electric, capable of autonomy, and compatible with existing fleet management software. The company recently began production on its first medium-duty truck for the US market and has since seen a 230% growth in reservations, indicating strong customer interest and positive feedback. To learn more, Roberto Baldwin, Sustainability Editor, SAE Sustainable Mobility Solutions, recently sat down with Daniel Barel, CEO, and Pete Dow, VP of Engineering, to discuss REE Automotive's revolutionary approach to scaling software-defined commercial EV fleets. For more information on the evolution of sustainability, head on over to sustainablecareers.sae.org. There, you can check out our podcast on the state of NEVI
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Simulating Off-Road Autonomy in Combat1350803/27/2025
As warfare becomes more technologically advanced, the military requires a "one-to-many" system that allows one operator to control a fleet of air, ground, and surface-level assets. This type of technology can also support industries like construction that may be experiencing labor shortages. To bring these visions to reality, there is a critical need for a virtual environment to stress-test autonomous systems and ensure they are secure. Enter Neya Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Applied Research Associates that is committed to advancing the field of unmanned systems through a robust simulation platform and expertise in autonomy, computer vision, and cybersecurity. To learn more, we sat down with Kurt Bruck, Vice President, Neya Systems, to discuss supporting the military as warfare becomes more technologically advanced and how his company is fostering safe and secure autonomous operations for unmanned ground vehicles. We'd love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Optimizing Energy Data for the Cold Supply Chain1350102/09/2025
The growing complexity of fleet electrification has highlighted the importance of understanding how energy is used and where you can reduce waste. To optimize energy intensity at industrial facilities, one company is leveraging integrated data and AI-powered intelligence to reduce both cost and fleet-related emissions, particularly when it comes to cold storage supply chains. Ndustrial helps companies lower energy intensity, decrease costs, and increase sustainable industrial operations with solutions like the Nsight Energy Intensity Platform, a data analytics and monitoring solution central to the management of electric transport refrigeration unit (eTRU) power systems. To learn more, we sat down with Manuel Aguirre VP of Supply Chain Electrification, to discuss Ndustrial's energy optimization solutions and the importance of efficient refrigeration management throughout the cold storage supply chain. We'd love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future
Hineman, Marcie
Improving the Carbon Footprint of Long-Haul Trucks Running on First-Generation Biodiesel2025-01-500701/27/2025
Lowering carbon emissions from road-based transport is required to achieve climate targets. In addition to passenger cars, long-haul trucks contribute more than one-third of on-road generated carbon emissions. Therefore, this sector has great potential to reduce such emissions. Numerous options including electrified drivetrains are possible. Nevertheless, the existing fleet of trucks powered by conventional diesel engines also needs to be addressed. Additionally, a ramp-up of green electricity and charging infrastructure is required to ensure carbon-neutral and reliable transport. Heavy-duty diesel engines are typically suitable for use with first-generation biofuels. However, operational restrictions, such as shorter oil drain intervals are mandatory for users. In the case at hand, the oil change was mandatory after only 30,000 km when pure biodiesel (B100) was used instead of 120,000 km when operating on conventional, mineral oil-based diesel. These boundaries counter efforts to
Rohbogner, Christoph J., Heine, Carsten
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Scaling Connected Vehicles with Over-The-Air Updates1349212/17/2024
As the automotive world shifts toward fully software-defined vehicles (SDVs), many OEMs are hesitant to embrace a consumer-driven model for over-the-air (OTA) updates. Enter Sibros, a company offering holistic OTA software that enables automakers to achieve scalable, software-defined mobility. By providing AI-powered insights that deliver continuous product and service enhancements, OEMs can harness Sibros' single no-code platform to monitor, control and optimize SDVs, thus accelerating time-to-market, reducing code defects and enabling hundreds of connected vehicle use cases at global scale. This presents unique value for consumers, OEMs, commercial fleet operators, and even off-road sectors like agriculture and mining. To learn more, we sat down with Hemant Sikaria, CEO & Co-Founder, Sibros, to discuss the impact of his company's groundbreaking technology, how insurance and regulation come into play, and the importance of robust security measures to ensure the responsible growth of
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORROW TODAY UNPLUGGED: Tesla's Cybercab: The Future of Personal Autonomy?1348511/05/2024
In 2011, famed venture capitalist Marc Andreessen wrote his magnus opus, "Why software is eating the world." Now it's reshaping the future of AVs. In this Unplugged episode of SAE Tomorrow Today, host Grayson Brulte discusses how software has fundamentally transformed various industries with a focus on Tesla's recently unveiled Cybercab, and how the strategy for this two-passenger AV could signal a shift away from shared robotaxis toward personal AV ownership. Key topics include the role of software updates in advancing autonomy, shifting the cost burden of operating a robotaxi fleet, and the future of self-driving technology using camera-only systems. Have your own thoughts on this topic? We'd love to hear from you! Share your comments, questions or ideas for future topics with Grayson on Twitter or send them to podcast@sae.org. Follow SAE on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Follow host Grayson Brulte on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Taking Fleet Electrification to the Next Level1348210/14/2024
How can companies electrify their fleets without the high costs and challenges of owning EV infrastructure? One company has the answer. Founded in 2017, Zeem Solutions is the leading provider of contract-based EV charging and fleet management services, serving more than 15,000 qualified fleets. With charging, parking, leasing, and co-locating solutions at secure hubs in major transport locations, Zeem is on a mission to help companies make the transition from diesel to electric. To learn more, we sat down with Paul Gioupis, Founder and CEO, Zeem Solutions, to discuss the importance of lowering operational costs with an EV charging depot model and how the company plans to scale nationwide. We'd love to hear from you. Share your comments, questions and ideas for future topics and guests to podcast@sae.org. Don't forget to take a moment to follow SAE Tomorrow Today--a podcast where we discuss emerging technology and trends in mobility with the leaders, innovators and strategists making it
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Balancing Fleet Sustainability with Competitiveness1347408/16/2024
As trucking fleets strive to minimize their environmental impact, it's important to balance sustainability with competitiveness. From adhering to new government guidelines to considering alternative fuel sources like battery, electric, and hydrogen, Covenant Logistics carefully factors in evolving requirements for more sustainable solutions, while maintaining their clients' profitability. To learn more, we sat down with we sat down with Matt McLelland, VP of Sustainability and Logistics, to discuss his focus on decarbonizing the class 8 trucking space, improving carbon reporting, the impact of greenwashing, and how he helps clients meet their scope 3 sustainability goals.
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: The Cost of EV Conversion for Commercial Fleets1346206/21/2024
When it comes to incorporating EVs into commercial diesel fleets, it is important to understand the costs and benefits--and the impact on maintenance. As one of the longest-running and largest fleet owners in North America, Ryder implements logistics and transportation solutions for a wide variety of industries. By using extensive historical data and current market prices for EVs and charging infrastructure, Ryder recently examined the potential economic impacts of implementing an all-EV commercial fleet in the United States. To learn more about Ryder's analysis, we sat down with Arun Chickmenahalli, Director of Maintenance R&D at Ryder, to discuss how electrification impacts fleet maintenance, the price differences for EV conversion between states, and the ways in which Ryder is developing maintenance programs to service EV, AV and alternative fuel clients.
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Unsupervised Learning Makes Scalable Autonomy a Reality1345906/12/2024
Artificial intelligence that teaches itself? That's the gist of unsupervised learning. And it offers far-reaching implications for the future autonomous driving--and much more. As a pioneer in unsupervised learning, Helm.ai employs an AI-first approach to building autonomous driving software using an in-house unsupervised learning technology called Deep Teaching which leverages insights from applied mathematics and compressive sensing. Deep Teaching enables Helm.ai to train on vast volumes of data more efficiently without the need for large scale fleets or human annotation, moving the world closer to fully autonomous self-driving systems. The company licenses their software to automakers for high-end ADAS L2+/L3 products and uses the same scalable AI approach for L2/L3 ADAS through L4. To learn more about this exciting breakthrough, we sat down with Vlad Voroninski, CEO & Co-Founder of Helm.ai, to discuss unsupervised learning, Deep Teaching, and the future of autonomous driving.
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Setting the Standard in Autonomous Middle Mile Delivery1345505/20/2024
Autonomous box trucks that can move goods on short-haul B2B routes? It's possible -- and North America's largest grocers, retailers, distributors, and e-commerce platforms are unlocking the benefits. As the leader in autonomous middle mile delivery, Gatik is improving supply chain efficiency with their fleet of medium duty, class 3-7 autonomous box trucks. By moving goods safely and efficiently between distribution centers, fulfillment centers, stores and warehouses, Gatik is optimizing regional distribution networks for major customers like Walmart, Kroger, Loblaw, Tyson Foods, and Pitney Bowes. With operations across multiple markets including Texas, Arkansas and Ontario, Gatik has more than 60 trucks on the road today and operates the largest revenue-generating commercial fleet of autonomous trucks on the continent. To learn more, we sat down with Dr. Adam Campbell, Senior Manager, Safety Innovation and Impact, to discuss the company's safety-first approach to the development and
Hineman, Marcie
Electrifying the Giants: Green mobility solution for M&HCVs in India.2024-26-013101/16/2024
Diesel operated Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicles (M&HCV) account for nearly 70% of all road transportation in India which is expected to quadruple, from 4 million in 2022 to roughly 17 million trucks by 2050. Despite comprising a mere 5% of total vehicle fleet, they consume nearly 57% of fossil fuel used by the transport sector and responsible for 71% ,74% and 55% of CO2 ,PM and NOx emissions respectively. This necessities the transition of M&HCV into green mobility solution. Furthermore, smaller vehicles like 2W, 3W, 4 wheeler like cars and buses are adopting EV technology at a faster pace coupled with incentivization through government policies like FAME-I, FAME-II etc., advocates an immediate intervention on electrification of M&HCVs to multifold the impact. This paper suggests a collaborative approach amongst M&HCV manufactures and government agencies to realize the transition while integrating the benefits of reduced emissions, lower operating costs, quieter operation
Saurabh, Piyush, Giri, Debabrata
Optimization of Charging Infrastructure for Fleet Customers2024-26-009201/16/2024
In a rush to move towards a sustainable future, the number of electric vehicles has risen significantly in recent years. With this, the need for power to charge those vehicles has also increased. In any electric vehicle fleet location, there could be a large number of vehicles with different arrival and departure times and energy requirements, which might vary every day. Depending on the geographical location, the available solar energy might differ. The electricity costs might change on an hourly basis. This in total can affect the charging costs. In addition, a non-optimal sizing of the energy components could result in an under-sized system, where the energy demands are not met, or it could result in an over-sized system, where the owner has to invest more than required. Based on all the information related to vehicle charging load, electricity charges, energy intensity profile of renewable energy generation like solar and wind, an optimal size of components, operational cost, and
Munirajappa, Chandrashekara, Shrivastava, Himanshu, Prasad P, Shilpa
Plug-in hybrid and range extender NVH – Challenges and Solutions2025-01-010105/05/2023
The automotive industry continues to develop new powertrain and vehicle technologies aimed at reducing overall vehicle-level fuel consumption. While the use of electrified propulsion systems is expected to play an increasingly important role in helping OEM’s meet fleet CO2 reduction targets, hybridized propulsion solutions can play a vital role in the electrification strategy of vehicle manufacturers. Plug-in hybrid and range extender vehicles show unique NVH challenges due to their different possible operation modes. First, the paper outlines different driveline architectures for PHEV and range extenders. Given the multiple general architectures, as well as operation modes which typically occur for these vehicles, characterizations and source-path analysis of these vehicles can be more complicated than conventional vehicles. In the following steps, typical NVH related challenges are highlighted and potential solutions for NVH optimization are discussed. While the overall noise levels
Wellmann, Thomas, Ford, Alex, Pruetz, Jeffrey
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Sustainable Rubber Hits the Road1337902/03/2023
When the rubber hits the road, one tire company stands out among the rest. From raw material traceability to supply chain transparency, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is not only helping to do what's good for business, but what's good for the planet, too. Driven by an ambitious sustainability strategy, Goodyear has set goals to develop a tire made of 100% sustainable materials by 2030 and using only renewable energy in its manufacturing facilities and operations by 2040. The company is even working to develop a domestic source of natural rubber from a specific species of dandelion in collaboration with the Department of Defense, the Air Force Research Lab, BioMADE and Farmed Materials. To learn more about Goodyear's impressive sustainability journey, we sat down with Ellis Jones, Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer. He discusses the company's uniquely strong culture, the importance of working collaboratively with small farms, and the development of new sustainable tire
Hineman, Marcie
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: What Role Do Electric Utilities Have in the EV Space?1336811/17/2022
As demand for EVs grows, so too does the role of electric utilities. From powering the grid to ensuring the reliability of EV charging stations, the electric utility industry plays a pivotal role in accelerating EV adoption. For more than a century, Duquesne Light Company (DLC) has delivered electricity to more than 600,000 customers in the Pittsburgh region. Currently, there are more than 6,000 EVs in DLC's service territory -- and they expect that number to grow to more than 23,000 by the end of 2025. With this projected growth, DLC is not only providing reliable power, but EV information analysis and incentives like a Community Charging Program and Electric Fleet Advisory Service Program. We sat down with Sarah Olexsak, Senior Manager, Transportation Electrification, to discuss the role of electric utilities and how DLC is supporting EV adoption in Western Pennsylvania.
Hineman, Marcie
Lightning eMotors adapts to changing electrification market22TOFHP08_0508/01/2022
A growing number of commercial truck fleets are moving to electric vehicles, driven partially by government mandates and support funding. For suppliers like Lightning eMotors, that means adapting to changing markets and creating designs for both a range of new vehicles and techniques that efficiently convert aging internal-combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to electrified powertrains. Lightning is currently expanding its efforts in repowering ICE trucks and buses with electric systems, but it's also inked new vehicle partnerships with General Motors and school bus supplier Blue Bird Corp. Founded in 2008, Lightning began with a focus on hybrid vehicles but switched to fully electric designs in 2016.
Costlow, Terry
PASSENGER TO FREIGHTER CONVERSION AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL SYSTEM2022-26-125705/26/2022
As per the records from Air cargo traffic, the global volume of air freight increased rapidly in recent years with freight volumes reaching 55.9 million metric tons. The strong demand for converted freighters has been driven by a robust cargo market, one of the key factors that strongly influenced this factor was the growth of e-commerce which has been boosted by more online deliveries This paper discusses some of the key aspects that needs to be considered for passenger to Freighter conversion and its impact to the Environmental Control System of the Aircraft. One of the first design change will be to identify all the passenger amenities and remove them, depending on the Freighter configurations the air distribution needs to be modified or re-routed. Temperature needs for the Main Deck Cargo Compartment (MDCC) is much lower than the passenger variant, the temperature selection ranges for all temperature zones shall cover the natural environment with high comfort for occupants. MDCC
PATIL, ANAND
How to Share Benefits of Smart Transportation and Mobility: A Study Based on Cooperative Game Theory2022-01-016203/29/2022
Shared mobility will become an important part in the future smart transportation and contribute to sustainable development. However, recently a large number of pioneers in this market have failed in making profits, and have to declare bankrupt or give up this promising business. One main cause is that it is difficult to find a method to allocate the profits to all the partners reasonably. In other words, there is still no effective business model in smart mobility. This study discusses cooperation among all stakeholders in smart mobility business alliance based on the theory of population ecology, which include four types of participants. The leaders are the enterprises who offer business platforms for the other players. The enablers include OEMs, hardware and software suppliers who enable smart mobility with intelligent vehicle products and technologies. The supporters can provide infrastructure and market channels. And the parasites are able to create added value with services and
Kuang, Xu
Development of a Rapid Recurrent Recharging Architecture for Battery Electric Heavy Duty Commercial Vehicle Applications2022-01-091203/29/2022
Battery electric vehicles (BEV) in heavy duty (HD) commercial freight transport face challenging technoeconomic barriers to adoption. Specifically, beyond safety and compliance, fleet and operational logistics require both high up-time and parity with diesel system productivity/Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) to enable strong adoption of electrified powertrains. At present, relatively high energy storage costs coupled with the increased weight of BEV powertrains limit their practicality in HD commercial freight transport to shorter range applications, where smaller batteries will suffice for mission (operational shift) energy requirements. This paper presents an alternative approach to the feasibility of BEV HD trucking in a broader range of applications. The concept is based on the leveraging rapid and recurrent recharging of a BEV HD truck that may either already make frequent stops due to shipment drop-offs/reloading or be required to make frequent stops along a longer mission only
Sujan, Vivek Anand, Xie, Fei, Smith, David
Flexible Reduced Order Modelling Applied to the Performance Optimization of a Catalytic Range Extender for Electric Vehicles2022-01-071803/29/2022
A major inhibitor to large scale adoption of battery electric transportation systems is their single-charge range. For passenger vehicles, limited charging infrastructure gives rise to range anxiety, whereas for commercial fleets, the higher cost of such vehicles still outweighs the gains from better overall efficiency and tax concessions. One way to mitigate such barriers is through the inclusion of a range extender in the drive train. These devices take on different forms, but generally offer improvements in the critical customer requirements of power-to-weight ratio and overall running cost. Delta-Cosworth have developed a catalytic range extender based on a recuperated Brayton cycle. This system comprises a rotating shaft on which are mounted a centrifugal compressor (φ 89.5 mm), a radial turbine (φ 106 mm), and an electric machine with an inverter to capture the net shaft power. Between the compressor and turbine, a heat exchanger raises the air temperature to 650°C followed by a
Mason, Alexander
Improved Vehicle Trajectories and Powertrain Physics in Microscopic Traffic Simulation2022-01-050203/29/2022
Traffic microsimulation offers several advantages when modeling traffic patterns and traffic flow conditions and has enjoyed increased capability as computing resources continue to become cheaper and more powerful. However, the car following models that are intended to emulate the longitudinal dynamics of human-driven vehicles in microsimulation, lack realistic enough physics to enable simulation of vehicle powertrain behavior over the driving trajectories. This is a significant drawback if microsimulation results are to be used for any sort of vehicle energy efficiency analysis. The present work set out to use the Simulation of Urban MObility (SUMO) software to model the energy efficiency impacts of various connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technologies when present at varying rates in the passenger vehicle fleet. To achieve this, we proposed a novel method to automatically calibrate car following model and simulation parameters to match the aggregate driving behaviors from real
Holden, Jacob
Overview of truck accidents in India and its economic loss estimation2021-26-000709/22/2021
India contributed to 11% of the global road crashes and was ranked 1st st among road deaths according to the World Health Organization report 20181. Indian highways is a meagre 5% of the country’s road network but accounts for 55% of the road crashes and 63% of the road deaths2. Majority of the freight traffic is ferried by trucks/lorries along these highways and this in turn increases the probability of them being involved in a road crash. In the year 2018, 15 000 road deaths were associated with truck/lorry occupants already. However, the country’s economy is forecasted to thrive in the coming years and hence the requirement of trucks in the supply chain shall play at pivotal role. The trucking industry is an unorganized sector wherein for example the illegal overloading of vehicles and over-the-limit driving hours pose a serious threat to road users. First objective of the paper is to outline a comprehensive overview and root cause analysis for truck accidents on national level. The
Kumaresh, Girikumar, Saldanha, Fiona, Lich, Thomas, Moennich, Joerg
Monitoring Brake Wear with Acoustics2021-01-105308/31/2021
A new approach for detecting problems with vehicle brakes by analyzing sounds emitted during braking events is proposed. Vehicle brakes emit acoustic energy as part of the braking process; the spectra of these sounds are highly dependent on the mechanical condition of the brake and can be used to detect problems. Acoustic theory indicates that as brake linings wear thinner the resonant frequency of the shoe or pad increases, potentially enabling the monitoring of lining wear through passive acoustic sensors. To test this approach, passive acoustic sensors were placed roadside at the exit of a transit bus facility for 9 months. The sensors collected almost 10,000 recordings of a fleet of 160 vehicles braking over a variety of conditions. Spectra of vehicles that had brake work performed during this period were analyzed to compare differences between new and worn friction linings. It was found that the spectra changes as friction linings wear, in concurrence with acoustic theory, where
Hearing, Brian, Grove, Kevin, Alden, Andrew
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Cat MineStar Pushing Autonomy to New Levels1301505/17/2021
Caterpillar Inc., known globally for autonomous vehicle fleets, has hauled 3 billion tons of material to date. On this episode, Michael C. Murphy, Chief Engineer at Cat MineStar Solutions, shares how process, people and productivity, as well as the commitment to safety are working together to make this tremendous impact on the mining industry.
Hineman, Marcie
Designing Rugged SWaP-Optimized MOSA Solutions for UUVs21AERP05_0305/01/2021
As the U.S. Navy increases its investment in its fleet of unmanned undersea vehicles (UUV), suppliers of rugged commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) subsystems, providing solutions for mission computers, network switches and routers, and data storage are meeting the needs of these unique platforms. The Navy classifies UUV systems into four categories, based on their size and how they are launched. Small UUVs range in diameter from 3″ to 10″ and can be man portable or submarine launched. Examples of small UUVs include the Swordfish and Sandfish. Medium UUVs have a diameter of 10″ to 21″ and are surface or submarine launched. Examples of medium UUVs include the Kingfish and the Knifefish. The Knifefish UUV, which is dedicated to mine hunting, is a great example of a UUV designed for a specific purpose. Large displacement UUVs (LDUUV) range in size from 21″ to 84″ in diameter and are also launched on the surface or from a submarine.
Decision Tree Regression to Identify Representative Road Sections for Evaluating Performance of Connected and Automated Class 8 Tractors2021-01-018704/06/2021
Currently, connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technology is being developed for Class 8 tractor trucks aimed at improved safety and fuel economy and reduced CO2 emissions. Despite extensive efforts conducted across the world, the reported efficiency gains were varied from different research groups, raising concerns about the fidelity of models, the performance of control, and the effectiveness of the experimental validation. One root cause for this variation stems from the fact that the efficiency gain obtained from the CAV is sensitive to real-world conditions, including surrounding traffic and road grade. This study presents an approach aimed at identifying representative public road sections and facilitating CAV research from this perspective. By employing the decision tree regression (DTR) method to the Fleet DNA database, the most representative road sections can be identified. High-level metrics and detailed information of the derived road sections are also illustrated and
Zhang, Chen, Kotz, Andrew, Lammert, Michael, Kelly, Kenneth
Effect of Real-World Driving and Drive Modes on Electric Vehicle Energy Consumption and Performance in a Tier-II Indian CitySAE-PP-0025002/03/2021
Electric vehicles (EVs) are tested for their driving performance, energy consumption (EC), and electric range in a chassis dynamometer laboratory as per the test procedure of the Automotive Industry Standards (AIS) in India. However, a laboratory test is different from the real-world test. In this study, the test vehicle is an experimental EV conversion car developed for the study. The EV uses a prototype conversion kit consisting of an indigenously built 3-phase induction motor and Li-ion battery pack. The study reports a detailed discussion on the real-world as well as laboratory tests conducted for the EV. It provides an intuition of the real-world tests conducted on the selected traffic routes of a Tier-II Indian city (Dehradun city) using a data logger with multiple sensors. It investigates the effect of real-world driving and different drive-modes (idling, acceleration, deceleration, and cruising) on the EC and performance of the EV. The real-world tests follow the car-chasing
Anthony, Lindsay
Q&A21TOFHP02_1102/01/2021
Commercial vehicles run under a wide range of operating conditions and duty cycles - not all are well-suited for battery-electric propulsion, particularly in the near term. For those hard-to-electrify vehicles, renewable diesel is a viable option to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions “practically overnight,” according to Matt Leuck, technical manager for Renewable Road Transportation in North America for Neste, which claims to be the world's largest producer of renewable diesel and jet fuel. Preparing to participate in the “Low/Zero Carbon Fuels” technical session during the SAE Government/Industry Digital Summit on February 2-3, Leuck said that Neste sees strong, sustained growth for renewable diesel in medium- and heavy-duty road vehicles, as well as in other segments such as mobile machines used at mines and construction sites. “In fact, demand growth has the potential to increase fivefold in the decades ahead,” he shared. “This growth is driven by two key things: end-users are setting
Gehm, Ryan
Traxen ‘trains’ AI-based adaptive cruise control for heavy trucks21TOFHP02_0602/01/2021
Artificial intelligence (AI), high-definition maps, and advanced algorithms and sensors combine to enable Traxen's intelligent adaptive cruise control (ACC) system for commercial vehicles, iQ-Cruise, to reduce fuel consumption by an average of 10% on customer routes. Piloted by several fleet customers, the system becomes available to the commercial-vehicle aftermarket in the first quarter of 2021, followed by OE truck manufacturers in the next 24 months. “We are increasing the trucking industry's profit margins by 50%,” said Ali Maleki, founder and CEO of Traxen, a Plymouth, Michigan-based technology startup that's been developing and testing the system for the past two years, logging more than 1.5 million miles of data from customers' trucks. “With fuel cost being one of the top operating costs for fleets worldwide, delivering a solution like iQ-Cruise that offers a 10% fuel efficiency improvement on average is a remarkable feat for the industry.”
Gehm, Ryan
AVSC Best Practice for First Responder Interactions with Fleet-Managed Automated Driving System-Dedicated Vehicles (ADS-DVs)AVSC0000520201212/10/2020
This Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium (AVSC) Best Practice for First Responder Interactions with Fleet-Managed Automated Driving System-Dedicated Vehicles (ADS-DVs) (AVSC00005202012) recommends a common approach for describing the interactions and associated protocols for incorporating vital information, regarding first responder interactions with SAE level 4 and level 5 fleet operated vehicles, into on-going development and deployment plans. This best practice provides the following: Definitions of roles associated with emergency situations / processes, Descriptions of expected interactions (use cases) between first responders and ADS-DVs, Recommendations to address first responder and ADS-DV interactions, and Recommends a First Responder Interaction Plan framework. This best practice is also intended to provide the means for continued engagement and dialogue between first responders, developers, manufacturers, fleet operators and local communities to promote safe operations and
Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium
Ford expands EV lineup with E-Transit cargo van20TOFHP12_1012/01/2020
Ford revealed on November 12 its next fully electric vehicle (EV), the 2022 E-Transit cargo van, with the automaker's new president and CEO Jim Farley stating, “The transition of fleet vehicles to zero emissions, especially for the fast-growing last-mile delivery segment, is critical to achieve our carbon neutrality goal by 2050. We're standing with California for higher standards, lower emissions and cleaner air. And we're proud to support and live up to the Paris Agreement.” Farley and Ford expect the global demand for full-size vans to grow another one-third by the end of this decade. That includes a potential market for more than 1.1 million full-size, fully electric and connected commercial vehicles worldwide, Farley said during the virtual product launch.
Gehm, Ryan
Strategic partnerships target SAE Level-4 trucks20TOFHP12_0812/01/2020
The parade of strategic partnerships in the autonomous-trucking space continues with Daimler Trucks and Waymo teaming to develop SAE Level-4 trucks. The Oct. 27 announcement followed Navistar and then Traton, which agreed to acquire the remainder of Navistar for $3.7 billion in mid-October, partnering with San Diego-based TuSimple on L4 technology deployment. The initial effort involves a “unique version” of Daimler's Freightliner Cascadia being equipped with a scaled version of Waymo's automated-driver technology, which has been developed and refined over the past decade since starting as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009. Waymo claims its dubbed “World's Most Experienced Driver” L4 setup has driven more than 20 million miles (32 million km) on public roads across the U.S. and 15 billion miles (24 billion km) in simulation.
Gehm, Ryan
Autonomy Takes Off-highway20AVEP11_0611/01/2020
Integrating automation systems in mining, agricultural and construction machines can increase safety and productivity in the field and bring significant economic benefits. Autonomous operation for on-highway commercial vehicles has grabbed headlines and public attention, rightfully so since these haulers increasingly will share the roads with passenger vehicles. But there is a lot of interesting new core work occurring in the off-highway autonomy space as well, according to Brendan Chan, chief engineer of unmanned systems and active safety at Oshkosh Corp. “There's the hub-to-hub stuff that everyone's been talking about. There's also a lot of geofence, low-speed applications where autonomy could be very useful and a very good value,” Chan said at the 2020 SAE COMVEC Digital Summit. Vehicles for yard maneuvering is one such application.
Gehm, Ryan
SAE TOMORROW TODAY: Innovating Commercial Trucking1291110/15/2020
There is more to Penske than meets the eye. As the largest non-governmental commercial trucking fleet in the world, Penske has instilled a culture of learning to tackle practical innovations to improve and advance the industry. This week, we welcome Bill Combs, Vice President of Connected Vehicle Strategy and Experimentation at Penske Transportation Solutions, to the podcast for a deep dive into the world of commercial trucking. The conversation kicks off in a unique way as Bill compares the lessons he learned experimenting with food ingredients in culinary school with the technology experimentation he now works on at Penske. Bill discusses how some of Penske's partnerships with companies like Daimler and TuSimple have enabled the organization to better serve all of its fleet and maintenance partners through learnings about electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles and data analytics. Bill explores the changing landscape of the commercial vehicle industry, tackling the issues of
Hineman, Marcie
Bollinger expanding planned EV lineup with the Deliver-E commercial van20TOFHP10_0910/01/2020
Class-3 EV startup Bollinger Motors has announced an addition to its future lineup of vehicles - a delivery truck. The cleverly named Deliver-E concept is an all-electric, front-wheel-drive (FWD) medium-duty van that will employ many of the same components used in the company's other EVs, but based on an entirely new high-strength-steel (HSS) platform engineered from the ground up for the delivery market. The Deliver-E is targeting classes 2B, 3, 4, and 5 (GVWR 8,501-19,500 lb), with U.S. production slated for 2022. According to Bollinger, the Deliver-E will be available in multiple lengths/wheelbases, offer independent front and rear suspension and the lowest step-in height in the industry, at just 18 in (46 cm). The new van is expected to provide multiple battery-pack options (70, 105, 140, 175, and 210 kWh), with up to 100-kW DC fast charging via universal charge ports. Bollinger claims that within each class, the Deliver-E will feature a total cost of ownership (TCO) significantly
Seredynski, Paul
e-Fuel Production via Renewables and the Impact on the In-Use CO 2 Performance2020-01-213909/15/2020
The trend towards renewable energy sources will continue under the pre-amble of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets. The main question is how to harvest and store renewable energy properly. The challenge of intermittency of the renewable energy resources make the supply less predictable compared to the traditional energy sources. Chemical energy carriers like hydrogen and synthetic fuels (e-Fuels) seem to be at least a part of the solution for storing renewable energy. The usage of e-Fuels in the existing ICE-powered vehicle fleet has a big lever arm to reduce the GHG emissions of the transport sector in the short- and medium term. The paper covers the whole well-to-wheel (WtW) pathway by discussing the e-Fuel production from renewable sources, the storage and the usage in the vehicle. It will be summarized by scenarios on the impact of e-Fuel to the WtW CO2 fleet emissions. The pathway of renewable chemical energy carriers shows a positive impact to the well-to-wheel CO2
Rothbart, Martin
AVSC Best Practice for Passenger-Initiated Emergency Trip InterruptionAVSC0000320200606/30/2020
As passengers take rides in fleet-managed automated driving system-dedicated vehicles (ADS-DVs), they may feel the need to interrupt the trip due to a perceived emergency. There is currently no industry consensus on the proper balance between ADS passenger agency and the potential for introducing unexpected outcomes in dynamic traffic environments. In order to build public trust in automated vehicles, passengers should be given an option to exercise some type of control (agency) to intervene during situations they perceive as emergencies. Passenger-initiated emergency trip interruption features — however they manifest in a given vehicle - can help establish this confidence in ADS technologies. AVSC Best Practice for Passenger-Initiated Emergency Trip Interruption recommends processes surrounding aspects of passenger-initiated features in SAE level 4 and 5 fleet-managed ADS-DVs. It recommends criteria and processes for passenger initiation of these features from inside the vehicle
Automated Vehicle Safety Consortium
Commercial trucks employ range of power systems20TOFHP06_1006/01/2020
Regulations continue to transform the powerplants used in commercial trucks, making fuel consumption and emissions reductions twin goals for many OEMs, upfitters and aftermarket suppliers at the NTEA Work Truck Show. Green trends and mileage requirements drove trends at the 20th annual show, which also addressed electrification and alternative fuels at the show's Green Trucks Summit. “Some of the major challenges our industry will face in the coming decade are the result of emissions regulations,” said Shaun C. Skinner, president, Isuzu Commercial Truck of America. The Green Trucks Summit focused largely on electrification plans, but a couple major product announcements at the show were petroleum-based. Isuzu announced a pair of gasoline engines, while Mack unveiled its Class 6 and 7 medium-duty trucks, which use 6.7-L diesel engines.
Costlow, Terry
Roush Lands in AV Country20AVEP05_0605/01/2020
An auto-industry icon for engineering, prototyping, testing and manufacturing services establishes its West Coast presence. Famous as an engineering-services company, a NASCAR racing icon, and the name behind many high-performance Ford cars and trucks, the Roush brand is a go-to for OEMs and suppliers needing projects executed on schedule with high quality. Engineering, prototyping, testing and manufacturing are the four pillars of “the company that Jack built” in the Detroit suburbs. That reputation is being extended through Roush's new sales office in San Luis Obispo, on California's Central Coast. “We'd been thinking about establishing a West Coast presence for quite a while,” says Jason Furr, executive director of sales at Roush's Livonia, Michigan, HQ. “There is so much going on there, and our peer-to-peer reputation among OEMs and Tier 1s has brought many Silicon Valley companies to Detroit to find us. But we want to be part of the fabric, energy and pulse of what's going on in
Brooke, Lindsay
Design of a Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle with CAVs Capability for the MaaS Market2020-01-143704/14/2020
There is significant potential for connected and autonomous vehicles to impact vehicle efficiency, fuel economy, and emissions, especially for hybrid-electric vehicles. These improvements could have large-scale impact on oil consumption and air-quality if deployed in large Mobility-as-a-Service or ride-sharing fleets. As part of the US Department of Energy's current Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition (AVCT), EcoCAR: The Mobility Challenge, Mississippi State University’s EcoCAR Team is redesigning and doing the development work necessary to convert a conventional gasoline spark-ignited 2019 Chevy Blazer into a hybrid-electric vehicle with SAE Level 2 autonomy. The target consumer segments for this effort are the Mobility-as-a-Service fleet owners, operators and riders. To accomplish this conversion, the MSU team is implementing a P4 mild hybridization strategy that is expected to result in a 30% increase in fuel economy over the stock Blazer. MATLAB models of the vehicle system
Taoudi, Amine, Haque, Moinul Shahidul, Strzelec, Andrea, Follett, Randolph
Case unveils fully-electric backhoe loader, begins delivery this year20TOFHP04_1304/01/2020
Case Construction Equipment's move toward alternative propulsion took another step forward at March's ConExpo-Con/Agg Show when it revealed “Project Zeus,” also known as the 580 EV electric backhoe loader. Leandro Lecheta, head of construction equipment in North America for CNH Industrial, was quick to point out that the fully-electric machine is not a concept - it's available for sale today and already has two customer orders in the U.S. The 580 EV is Case's first formal entry into the electric-equipment market. “The backhoe loader is perfectly suited for electrification as the varied use cycles, from heavy to light work, provide an excellent opportunity to convert wasted diesel engine hours into zero-consumption battery time - yet provide the operator with instantaneous torque response when needed,” said Eric Zieser, Case director of global compact equipment product line. “We're proving the viability of electrification at the larger end of the compact and light equipment spectrum
Gehm, Ryan
EVs are coming, but challenges, alternative fuels will slow turnover20TOFHP04_1004/01/2020
Regulatory attacks on petroleum are sparking heavy investments in battery power, but alternative fuels continue to spar for growth. As vehicles move slowly from diesel to alternatives, owners and operators will need to focus on training and telematics to maximize efficiency. Battery power was front and center in Indianapolis at the Green Truck Summit in March, as speakers described infrastructure challenges and training requirements as well as equipment pricing issues. Alternative fuels remain viable as vehicle suppliers strive to meet regulations that sharply reduce emissions over the next two decades.
Costlow, Terry
Congestion-busting with Autonomous Shuttles20AVEP03_1003/01/2020
GoMentum is safety-testing two Local Motors shuttles at AAA's expansive NorCal proving grounds and new V2X lab. It was uneventful when an eight-passenger, low-speed driverless shuttle crawled at about 10 mph (16 km/h) toward the intersection at the GoMentum Station AV proving grounds in Concord, Calif. The crisp morning temperatures didn't get any more exciting when a mechanical pedestrian-dummy intentionally moved in the self-driving vehicle's path. The shuttle's six lidars, six radars and two military-grade GPS units brought the slow-moving vehicle gently to a stop within a courteous distance usually not granted by human drivers. The demo was dull for the handful of journalists on hand. But Jay Rogers, the chief executive of Local Motors-the producer of the shuttle dubbed “Olli” - was bubbling with enthusiasm. Rogers believes that the potential for low-speed connected and autonomous shuttles outweighs the promise of conventional vehicles transformed into full-stack robo-taxis.
Berman, Bradley
Electronic Warfare WeaponTBMG-3606802/01/2020
MBDA Hertfordshire, UK +44 (0)1438 752000
Silicon Valley Summit Identifies Safety Strategies for Self-driving Cars20AVEP01_1101/01/2020
AV industry leaders pinpointed several effective tactics, such as limiting vehicle speeds and empowering safety operators to ground vehicles. Until recently, leading autonomous vehicle (AV) technologists posited that ultra-safe, go-anywhere robotaxis would soon be on the road. But questions about those timelines-and the safety of testing AVs on public roads-emerged in 2018 after a series of high-profile accidents. Consumers have since been caught in the middle between promises of eliminating highway fatalities and reports about deadly crashes. The World Safety Summit on Autonomous Technology was organized by Velodyne Lidar to help clear up the confusion. The second annual event, which took place in Santa Clara, Calif., on Oct. 2, gathered some of the AV industry's sharpest thinkers. While attendees did not walk away from the day's speeches and panel sessions with a well-defined roadmap, the summit yielded several common-sense guidelines for increasing self-driving safety.
Berman, Bradley
Unsettled Impacts of Integrating Automated Electric Vehicles into a Mobility-as-a-Service Ecosystem and Effects on Traditional Transportation and Ownership 1235 1999EPR201900412/20/2019
This is London editing to see how removing all formatting works in this rich text editor: USA The current business model of the automotive industry is based on individual car ownership, yet new ridesharing companies such as Uber and Lyft are well capitalized to invest in: Large, commercially operated, on-demand mobility service vehicle fleets. Bribes for government officials Insane robots! cyborgs demented roombas H2O and e=mc2 Car manufacturers like Tesla want to incorporate personal car owners into part-time fleet operation by utilizing the company’s fleet service. These robotaxi fleets can be operated profitably when the technology works in a reliable manner and regulators allow driverless operation. Although Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) models of private and commercial vehicle fleets can complement public transportation models, they may contribute to lower public transportation ridership and thus higher subsidies per ride. This can lead to inefficiencies in the utilization of
Fuel Cell Vehicles: An Opportunity for China's Greenhouse Gas Reduction2019-01-226312/19/2019
Fuel cell vehicle and battery electric vehicle are two environmentally benign vehicle technology types possibly meeting the zero-emission regulations in the future. The premise is they can achieve parity with conventional vehicle both environmentally and economically. Besides, it is necessary to distinguish which technology is more suitable in China's current and future context. This paper compares their cost-effectiveness for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, examining the life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions of conventional gasoline vehicle, battery electric vehicle and fuel cell vehicle in China's energy context under three different scenarios. The results indicate that under the 500km drive range, fuel cell vehicles are less competitive than battery electric vehicles currently. Fuel cell vehicles generate much more greenhouse gas emissions than battery vehicles and conventional gasoline vehicles. While with the optimization of energy context, fuel cell vehicles can gain
Mu, Zhexuan, Hao, Han, Liu, Zongwei, Zhao, Fuquan
Reducing winter range loss for electric trucks19TOFHP12_0212/01/2019
Researchers at the Austrian Institute of Technology have developed an air exchange system that's capable of reducing heat load by 37% in real-world tests. Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) range loss from winter use of PTC (positive temperature coefficient) heating has become a source of major concern as the industry works to make EVs a mainstream choice. Addressing this particular problem area with an economically viable solution was deemed a worthwhile effort by the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), which is jointly owned by the Austrian government and the Federation of Austrian Industries. A fleet test of electric delivery trucks is underway on European roads. The AIT project, results of which were presented at the recent SAE Thermal Management Systems Symposium (TMSS), began by noting a 20% loss in range at −15°C (+5°F) from the heating system. AIT set a target of recovering 25% of that loss, primarily with the use of a ventilation module. Available reference data (at −10°C/+14
Weissler, Paul
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