BAE, EATON, Hyzon, Accelera, Amazon, Lyten & Daimler NA.
In this Article
BAE & EATON Heavy-Duty Trucks EV System
BAE Systems (LON: BA), a leader in electric propulsion, and Eaton, a global power management company, are expanding their collaboration to include electric vehicle (EV) solutions for heavy-duty trucks. The solution offers original equipment manufacturers and commercial vehicle modifiers a comprehensive, efficient, advanced, and flexible EV system for a wide range of zero-emission platforms.
In 2023, the two companies signed a memorandum of understanding to provide electric drive technology solutions for the medium-duty truck market. The expanded collaboration now includes heavy-duty applications, offering manufacturers a complete line of electric drive systems for commercial trucks above 19 tons.
BAE Systems will now combine its electric motor and suite of power dense, advanced power electronics with Eaton’s HD 4-speed EV transmission to provide a full heavy-duty EV system. Along with the existing MD-4 solution, the integrated systems are designed for medium- and heavy-duty applications, including pick-up and delivery trucks, school and transit buses, and material handling, refuse, and regional haul trucks.
“We are combining our expertise and proven technology to provide customers with a complete EV solution,” said Bob Lamanna, vice president and general manager of Power & Propulsion Solutions at BAE Systems.
“By expanding our scope to include more vehicle ratings, our robust system ensures high performance and reliability across a wider range of classes and sizes,” said Mark Kramer, business unit director, ePowertrain, Eaton’s Vehicle Group.
The BAE Systems and Eaton solution delivers proven technology in an integrated package that meets the demands of the commercial truck market, backed by decades of collective experience in vehicle electrification. BAE Systems’ power electronics feature advanced materials and a compact, modular design that uses fewer parts, making it highly reliable and adaptable to diverse platforms. Eaton’s MD and HD EV transmissions are purpose-built to increase range, grade capability, and acceleration for commercial electric vehicles.
BAE Systems’ electric drive technology builds on more than 25 years of innovation that powers low- and zero-emission platforms on land and sea, including battery electric, fuel cell, and hybrid electric vehicles. The company has more than 16,000 propulsion systems operating in transit buses, boats, military and industrial vehicles across the globe with over five billion miles of proven performance.
Its electric propulsion technology is developed, manufactured, and serviced at its facilities in Endicott, New York, Rochester, U.K, and Guaymas, Mexico.
Hyzon First Hydrogen Refuse Truck
Hyzon a U.S.-based, leading hydrogen fuel cell technology developer and global supplier of zero-emission powertrains and New Way Trucks, a privately held industry-leading refuse truck body manufacturer, are showcasing North America’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered electric refuse truck at Waste Expo, May 7-9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
This debut to the U.S. market follows February’s announcement of the Joint Development Agreement (JDA) between New Way and Hyzon, combining both companies’ expertise and industry leadership to develop a premier zero-emission refuse collection solution.
Accelera Power for BMC
Accelera™ by Cummins, the zero-emissions business segment of Cummins Inc. [NYSE: CMI], is collaborating with BMC Otomotiv, a leading manufacturer of buses and trucks in Turkey and throughout Europe, to provide battery solutions for their transit bus operations. The companies have signed a letter of intent (LOI) for Accelera to power BMC’s city buses. This marks the first time the BP97E, Accelera’s latest nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery pack, will be used in operation in Europe.
The BP97E is a high-energy-density battery pack and is the latest development in Accelera’s NMC battery platform. Its single-pack storage capacity of up to 97 kWh makes it an effective solution for weight-sensitive applications. Its patented platform design and flexible mounting options make integrating into many types of electric buses and other applications simpler. Transit agencies can tailor the energy level needed to serve their communities through an onboard energy option of up to 582 kWh with a six-pack battery configuration. This will ensure efficient and reliable transportation for passengers while also promoting sustainability.
“The launch of our NMC battery in Turkey and Europe, in collaboration with BMC, is a milestone for Accelera as we expand our battery-electric offerings to new regions around the world,” said Brian Wilson, General Manager of eMobility for Accelera. “Collaborating with BMC to power their electric city buses demonstrates Accelera’s ability to deliver innovative, zero-emissions technologies, and we’re excited to work together to provide sustainable solutions for cities and towns across Europe.”
The city buses will be sold in Turkey, BMC’s domestic market, and will operate throughout Europe. These buses play a crucial role in large cities, which have high-capacity demands. The project is already underway, with the BP97E batteries expected to be delivered in the first half of 2024 and the buses expected to be delivered to customers in 2025.
Accelera’s multi-chemistry battery product portfolio includes nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which are engineered to suit a variety of electric commercial vehicles and industrial applications.
50 Big EVs for Amazon
Customers in Southern California may soon begin spotting the newest additions to Amazon’s electric fleet on the road. Amazon is investing in electric vehicles around the world, and isrolling out nearly 50 heavy-duty electric trucksin the region—its largest fleet of these vehicles in any country so far. The fully electric trucks will haul cargo containers and customer packages in our first- and middle-mile operations, joining the hundreds of last-mile electric vans already delivering packages across the state. Combined, these trucks are expected to travel more than 1 million miles each year with zero tailpipe emissions.
First mile, or global logistics, is where goods are moved from where they are manufactured, through customs, across oceans, into ports, and then into our fulfillment network. Amazon’s first-ever electric trucks in our ocean freight operations, also known as drayage trucks, have started hitting the road at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, with a dozen expected by the end of the year.
Trucks in middle mile move customer orders between Amazon’s fulfillment centers, sort centers, air facilities, and, finally, delivery stations, where packages are loaded into last-mile vans to be delivered to customer doorsteps. Amazon deployed 35 electric heavy-duty vehicles in Southern California and have installed over 45 direct current (DC) fast chargers across 11 sites to power the trucks.
The battery-electric Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric trucks have a range of up to 275 miles and a gross combination weight of 82,000 pounds. The heavy-duty vehicles are also equipped with safety features including active collision mitigation, blind-spot detection, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Drivers are excited about these electric trucks, highlighting their impressive power, significantly lower noise levels, and ergonomic cab design.
Lyten Lithium-Sulfur Tech
Lyten, the supermaterial applications company and global leader in lithium-sulfur battery technology, announced it has shipped A samples of its 6.5 Ah (C/3 discharge rate, 25° C) lithium-sulfur pouch cells to Stellantis and other leading US and EU automotive OEMs for evaluation. This milestone further demonstrates Lyten’s global leadership in lithium-sulfur manufacturing, a battery chemistry with the potential to hold more than two times the energy density of lithium-ion and starts the clock for commercial evaluation and adoption by multiple industry leaders.
Lyten manufactures lithium-sulfur cells in both pouch and cylindrical formats (2170 and 18650) and is currently shipping the 6.5 Ah pouch cell format for customer evaluation. Later this year, Lyten plans to deliver cylindrical A samples for evaluation. Lyten’s lithium-sulfur format flexibility enables its use in a wide range of industries beyond automotive, including space, aerospace, drones, micromobility, defense and consumer electronics.
Lyten has already shipped samples to a major US consumer electronics company, plans to deliver cells to the Department of Defense in May, and targets delivery of samples to more than 20 potential customers for commercial evaluation in the 2Q and 3Q 2024. Lyten is currently on target to deliver commercial use cells to aerospace and defense customers this year.
“This milestone is the result of years of dedicated work and innovation from the Lyten team, and we are just at the start of further expanding the capabilities of our lithium-sulfur battery cells,” said Dan Cook, Lyten CEO and Co-Founder.
The lithium-sulfur A samples are produced on Lyten’s automated pilot line in San Jose, CA, which opened in May 2023. The pilot line is built with standard lithium-ion equipment and manufacturing practices, proving the scalable manufacturability of Lyten’s lithium-sulfur cells. The San Jose production line will deliver B samples for Auto OEMs and commercial cells for smaller quantity, non-EV customers. Lyten’s first giga-scale facility is currently being designed with Turner Construction and SSOE to manufacture automotive C samples and beyond.
“The world needs a practical, mass market battery, and that is what we are building with our lithium-sulfur technology,” stated Celina Mikolajczak, Chief Battery Technology Officer at Lyten. “Mass market electrification and net zero goals demand higher energy density, lighter weight, and lower cost batteries that can be fully sourced and manufactured at massive scale using abundantly available local materials. That is Lyten’s lithium-sulfur battery.”
Lithium-Sulfur is considered a leapfrog battery technology with the potential to deliver two times the energy density of current NMC batteries, but with a materials and manufacturing cost competitive with low cost LFP. The Li-S cathode is made of widely abundant sulfur and Lyten’s proprietary 3D Graphene, sourced by capturing carbon from methane. This eliminates the need for critical minerals like nickel, cobalt, and manganese in the cathode. The Li-S anode is a lithium metal composite, eliminating the need for graphite. The elimination of critical minerals means a projected 65%+ lower carbon footprint than lithium-ion batteries and a supply chain that can be fully sourced in the US or EU at scale.
Lyten has raised more than $410M in equity capital to date, including investments from Stellantis, FedEx, Honeywell, Walbridge, and Prime Movers Lab. In February 2024, Chrysler announced the inclusion of Lyten’s Li-S batteries in its Halcyon concept EV.
Daimler NA EVSE Training Center
Daimler Truck North America LLC (DTNA) today announced two significant investments at its headquarters complex on Swan Island, a new Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) training center adjacent to Electric Island and a new engineering facility at the DTNA campus.
The new addition to Electric Island represents the next phase to accelerate testing and development of charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles since the first-of-its-kind public charging station was built in partnership with Portland General Electric and opened in 2021. The new training center will be used for the DTNA dealer network and as a resource center for community stakeholders interested in the clean transportation industry. The anticipated project will cost $3 million with half of the costs being funded through a forgivable loan from Prosper Portland, the City of Portland’s economic development agency.
The new DTNA engineering facility will be approximately 110,000 sq-ft and will consolidate testing activities under one roof with focus on research and development for emerging propulsion technologies, such as battery electric and hydrogen-fueled vehicles. The project is anticipated to cost $40 million and will be partially funded by the State of Oregon with a $700,000 forgivable loan from the State’s Strategic Reserve fund.
“Daimler Truck North America is proud to call Portland, Oregon our home,” said John O’Leary, president and CEO, DTNA. “We appreciate the City and State’s support of our expansion plans to further promote the development and proper testing of advanced technology and look forward to collaborating for many more years to come on training and employing a future-ready workforce.
“Oregon is the location of choice for businesses leading clean technology innovation in the U.S.,” said Business Oregon Director Sophorn Cheang. “Our partnership with local and regional economic development leaders to support DTNA’s investment adds to the region’s competitiveness and will provide opportunities for our skilled workforce in manufacturing and engineering for years to come.”
Portland City Commissioner Carmen Rubio said, “I am thrilled by DTNA’s decision to invest significant resources and continue to lead heavy-duty vehicle technology right here in Portland. I want to acknowledge and thank Governor Kotek for her commitment to this effort and to building the clean economy. I also want to recognize the Prosper Portland Board, Kimberly Branam, and the outstanding team at Prosper Portland that has worked closely with DTNA for many years. Portland is where Freightliner was founded more than 80 years ago, DTNA is an anchor employer in our city, and today’s announcement is a proud moment for all involved. The future of heavy-duty vehicle technology in Portland is very bright – and very green.”
DTNA’s history in Portland dates back to the founding of the Freightliner brand in the city in 1942. When Freightliner was acquired by the former Daimler AG in 1981, the manufacturer established its North American headquarters for medium- and heavy-duty trucks in Portland. Since then, DTNA has based all research and development activities for North America in the region. Also located on Swan Island is the Portland Truck Manufacturing Plant, which has been in continuous operation since 1969 and today produces the battery-electric Freightliner eCascadia and eM2 as well as the Western Star X-Series. DTNA employs over 3,000 people in the Portland region.