PHOTO’S: RUBEN FORTUIN


ELECTRIFICATION ▶▶▶ Engine builder Deutz powers up BY RUBEN FORTUIN T


he 132,000 engines produced by Deutz every year are used in agricul- ture, earthmoving, and industry. The demand for electric and hybrid drives


is growing mainly in relation to small loaders and telescopic handlers, as manufacturers of those types of equipment are too small to de- velop such complex systems themselves. Deutz is now serving their needs in particular, and Manitou will be the first to utilise these drive components. The first proto types (one fully electric, the other hybrid) are now ready.


Experience from out on the water The first step was to ensure expertise in elec- tric drives and battery management was avail- able in-house. In October 2017, Deutz took over the company Torqeedo for € 70 million, buying itself five years’ worth of development. Torqeedo is the market leader in 0.5 to 100 kW (136 hp) electric marine engines. It was estab- lished in 2005, since then expanding to 150 staff and achieving a turnover of € 25 million, with 80,000 of its systems in service. Torqeedo uses large numbers of manufactured products of proven high quality (such as the


For years, engine manufacturer Deutz never thought interest in electric drives would come to anything. But the market decided otherwise, and customers are demanding it. Now Deutz is back in the game in one fell swoop – and right at the forefront to boot. It presented its latest developments at the ‘Electrip’ event in Cologne, Germany.


batteries that BMW builds into its i3 and i8 models). It does not produce any power elec- tronics itself, but specialises in producing high-quality software for complex steering and battery management applications, such as de- termining the extent to which a vessel is emp- tied, when and how fast it is loaded, and for controlling battery temperature. The software has to work whatever the operating conditions might be. Torqeedo claims that with its particu- lar type of battery management, a 15-year-old battery could still have 80% capacity.


Modular range In just a short time, engineers have developed a modular range of hybrid drives under the name E-Deutz, combining the most suitable diesel engine, electric engine and battery ac- cording to the application. The entire combi- nation is turn-key – manufacturers are able to fit the unit in the space where the original die- sel engine was. Deutz works with low voltage of 48 volts in the segment ranging up to 20 kW of electrical power. Stricter safety requirements apply in ex- cess of that. For this reason, higher capacities immediately require high voltage of 360 V, and a system with a range of 700 to 800 volts is be- ing developed for capacities in excess of 100 kW. The switch to a higher voltage is necessary because the amperage would otherwise in- crease so much that it would no longer be pos- sible to change gears with power electronics.


A complete turn-key module fits exactly in the spot of the original diesel engine.


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When is the switch to electric? Deutz estimates that the proportion of electric and hybrid engines will increase to between 5 and 10% by 2022. The company outlined clear- ly in which situation a 100% electric or hybrid


▶ FUTURE FARMING | 22 February 2019


drive train would be useful and when the combustion engine would remain optimal. Two factors are important: the total load and the range (see illustration). In other words, the heavier the drive is and the farther the ve- hicle travels, the more difficult it is to carry sufficient power in the battery.


Downsizing the combustion engine A hybrid is suitable when a high peak load is required sporadically. We are currently still us- ing large engines for this, that consequently run outside of working range for most of the time. In those cases, a smaller engine can be fitted that is lighter, cheaper and has lower consumption. The required power peak can be covered with the assistance of the electric engine.


Starting small Another turning point may relate to costs. For the Stage V emission standard, even small en- gines below 37 kW will need an exhaust after- treatment system. The prospect of high addi- tional costs for such a small engine makes it seem cheaper to switch to electric. Deutz therefore expects to see the greatest rates of switchover in the lighter segment. As battery technology advances, it will produce engines of ever higher capacity.


Local zero emissions Other arguments may influence the choice of engine. For example, if government agen- cies putting a contract out to tender require work in inner cities to be carried out using electric vehicles. Then we can expect to see a hybrid cherry-picker, for example, travelling


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