Three heavy trucks (up to 40 tons) can be parked one above the other, while the drivers use rest facilities. The expected cost of accommodation is approx. 50 euros. Fantasy? No, it’s not – it’s a new idea of truck parking, which Abona, the German company, is working on.
Abona presented the Truck Tower concept for truck parking at the NUFAM 2019 commercial vehicle trade fair. The innovative project may be the answer to the lack of parking spaces for trucks, which – as the drivers driving through Germany know well – is one of the problems of the industry.
Such a multi-storey structure would allow the capacity of existing car parks to be increased without the need for additional space. According to the Abona’s (an IT company) announcement, the Truck Tower could accommodate up to 87 trucks in 30 parking spaces.
At the heart of the design is an innovative mechanism. Before entering the “tower,” the truck is weighed and directed to the right place based on its weight and the location and weight of vehicles already parked. When the trucks in the facility are lifted and lowered on the counterweight principle, the mechanism generates energy. In addition, photovoltaic panels on the roof generate electricity. This means, for example, that cold stores can be connected to the mains without having to start the engine.
The design phase was completed by a feasibility test. The first prototype is to be developed within two years.
