CARGO HANDLING Electric atmosphere for terminal tractors
Last year California-based heavy duty electric vehicle developer Balqon Corporation announced that it had signed a European licence with terminal tractor and special vehicles manufacturer MOL Transport Solu- tions Cy NV, based in Belgium (WorldCargo News, July 2010, p2). At first glance the European yard trac-
tor market is not a promising environ- ment for electric drives. Their low noise nuisance compared to conventional die- sel ic engine machines is attractive, but the cost is relatively high and perform- ance is a bit of a gamble until the tech- nology is proven. Above all, European op- erators are not under the same political pressure to reduce atmospheric pollution as their counterparts in Southern Califor- nia and some other parts of the US. In any case terminal tractors are al-
ready into Euromot Stage 3b US EPA Tier 4 interim) for engines above 130 kW (ie ro-ro tractors and heavy industry trac- tors) and next year Stage 3b/Tier 4i kicks in for machines with 129 kW and below. This will embrace all 4 x 2 yard tractors, including distribution “spotters.”
Long-term view All the same, long-term concern over fuel prices and fuel security is stimulating in- terest in alternative power sources, even in Europe. Heavy duty electric tractors are not new in Europe. OM Carelli Elevatori (part of Linde forklifts), for ex- ample has battery electric tow tractors up to 25t trailing weight capacity. MAFI sup- plies battery electric tow tractors up to 30t capacity. The Balqon/MOL deal could eventually take battery electric vehicles into a different power band. Earlier this month Balqon reported
that a yard tractor incorporating its XR E20 electric drive into a chassis devel- oped by Mol has been successfully dem- onstrated. The drive and battery manage- ment system are currently used in Balqon’s own Nautilus XR E20 platform. The XR E20 is not like the first
Balqon drives fitted to Capacity of Texas terminal tractors in California, as it is fit- ted with Lithium-ion batteries that can supposedly go 16h without a charge. Balqon claims that the operating costs of the Balqon/MOL electric tractor will be 74% lower than those of conventional diesel competitors, having regard to the current average diesel fuel prices in Eu- rope of US$7/USgallon (€1.36/litre).
Zero hour Balqon says that the new product “is the first in the zero emissions heavy-duty terminal trac- tor market in Europe that marks the begin- ning of a shift to zero emissions container movement vehicles in the Continent.”This is quite a claim, given that Gottwald is already there, at least from a technical standpoint, with Battery-AGV; together Gottwald and CTA Hamburg have solved the infrastructure support problems. It may be too early to commercialise
a battery-electric tractor/trailer set, and it will be tough getting into the market. The “ballpark price” for a diesel ic 4x2 yard tractor is around €65,000, or €90,000 for a typical tractor/trailer set (although this is a Stage 3a price). It is considerably lower than the €115,000 estimated by Gaussin Manugistique, which is pitching its own diesel-powered automotive ter- minal trailer, priced at around €140,000, against traditional tractor/trailer sets (WorldCargo News, July 2011, 24). However, Gaussin is already looking
ahead to a battery-electric ATT. If the ATT concept of clipping a diesel engine power pack onto the chassis is accepted, it is a relatively simple matter to replace it with a battery pack. The only major engineering redesign is the change from hydraulic hub motors to electric units. The price would be higher, because
it is “new technology” and because of all the electric components, but maintenance costs should be lower. Frequency control- led ac drive motors, which require virtu- ally no maintenance or even routine in- spection, would be fitted, while all other hydraulic motors, such as steering, can be replaced by redundant electrical actuators. Gaussin’s target for battery ATT
November 2011
More than 35 years experience in engineering and manufacturing Terminal- and RoRo-tractors.
charge times is a ratio of 0.7 - for every 10h or operating time, a charge time of 7h will be needed. In practice, this ratio could be achieved for a wide range of “autonomy” requested by the customer - for example a 2 x 8h “double shift” would need 11.2h (16 x 0.7) of recharging time. A battery discharge: charge ratio of
1.7:1 indicates that two spare batteries would be required for a single machine operating continually, although the number falls as the ATT fleet grows. However, the point is that the sup-
port infrastructure has to be sorted out on a terminal by terminal basis. Gottwald and CTA Hamburg recognised that the
infrastructure is as important as the Bat- tery-AGV concept itself. Another, more general point concerns
dirver acceptance of the ATT, as the whole cab pivots ahead of the front axle; it is too early to tell. Driver acceptance, and de- livering lower total cost of ownership, are the key areas for terminal tractor OEMs, as underlined by Terberg’s Series ‘3’ ro-ro machines introduced last year (WorldCargo News, April 2010, pp30-31).
Back to MOL In any event, from Belgium, MOL con- firms that it has built a 100% electric yard tractor with the Balqon drive line. The
MOL chassis was adapted to install the drive line and the two li-ion battery packs. The tractor has just been started up and MOL is making final adjustments. The machine can haul loads over 30t with a range of more than 16h on a sin- gle charge. It incorporates the li-ion bat- tery charging system and the latest idle- shut off technologies to enhance energy conservation. The cabin has a comfort- able, ergonomic layout and the chassis is fitted with airbag suspension.
Stage 3b reference price From a commercial standpoint, says MOL’s commercial manager Marc
The new MOL 4x2 yard tractor with the Balqon XR E20 drive line
WorldCargo news
Five solid reasons for partnering Terberg:
> Reliable Partner > Quality Product > Customer Focused > Tailormade Solutions > Comprehensive Service & Support
Terberg Benschop B.V. > Benschop - Holland > Tel. +31(0)348 45 92 11 >
info@terbergbenschop.nl >
www.terbergbenschop.nl 39
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