Dutch transport company Peter Appel, together with DAF Trucks, started road tests of the DAF CF Hybrid truck model. Two such vehicles are used to supply supermarkets located in the central part of the Netherlands. In cities, the trucks are powered by an electric drive and on larger distances by a low-emission diesel engine.
Both the carrier, which has a total of 680 trucks at its disposal, and the manufacturer want to subject the hybrid trucks to an intensive test in road conditions.
Although electric vehicles are ideal for urban transport, hybrid technology is proving to be a better solution for longer distances. In the city, the DAF CF Hybrid can be powered by electricity alone, while the diesel engine allows the vehicle to easily reach and return to and from distribution centres throughout the Netherlands and abroad,” says Marcel Pater, fleet manager at Peter Appel Transport.
“During road tests of the CF Hybrid model, we want to evaluate not only the performance provided by the combination of electric drive and diesel engine. We also want to find out how useful this solution is for our customers in their daily use,” adds Ron Borsboom, Executive Director of Product Development at DAF.
DAF CF Hybrid – propulsion and range
What performance offers the DAF CF Hybrid? When the batteries are fully charged, the range of the truck in electric drive mode is 30 to 50 kilometres, depending on the weight of the whole combination. Such a range is definitely enough to enter and leave the city without any pollution. The vehicle is powered by a 75 kW/100 hp ZF electric drive equipped with a special ZF TraXon gearbox for hybrid drive systems. There is also the powerful 10.8-litre PACCAR MX-11 diesel engine with 330 kW/450 hp, which is particularly suitable for longer distances.
Hybrid technology allows additional fuel cost savings through intelligent energy management. The electric drive uses the energy generated by the engine brake both when used by the driver and when activated by the Down Hill Speed Control to support the operation of the diesel engine. This is a beneficial solution in terms of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
The electric drive draws its energy from an 85 kWh battery pack, which is charged while the diesel engine is running, where the electric drive acts as a generator and supplies the batteries with electricity. In future, it will also be possible to charge the batteries with a charging station, also with the option of quick charging.
Photo: DAF