DAF Truck, a Dutch truck manufacturing company, has doubled the range of the DAF CF Electric truck to more than 200 kilometres. In addition, the company has introduced a new generation of batteries that means a weight reduction of 700 kg, which translates directly into higher payload.
The truck is powered by VDL E-Power technology that has a 210kW motor and torque of 2,000Nm. The motor is electrically powered through a battery pack.
The lithium-ion battery pack has now a 315 kWh effective capacity which is also much lighter. The battery is embedded in gel, meaning that the temperature always remains between 25 and 40 degrees Celsius, regardless of the weather, which supports durability and the consistent level of performance of the battery pack.
The company claims it is possible to drive up to 500 fully electric kilometres a day in its truck as fully charging the battery is usually carried out at the truck’s home base and takes about 75 minutes using a charging station with a capacity of 250 kilowatt. Therefore by recharging the battery while (un)loading or during the driver’s break, it can be very advantageous in terms of the truck’s productivity and efficiency.
The CF Electric with extended range will go on sale in September, with delivery expected to start in early 2021.
