The new battery configurator tool aims to help with a wide variety of factors, as it takes topography into consideration and simulates energy consumption, load and traffic conditions – variables that support a sales person in having a constructive dialogue with the customer to tailor each truck according to specific needs.
"Specifying the right amount of battery packs is of great importance as their weight largely affects both the vehicles' effective payload and range. Each truck needs to be designed for a customer's unique operations and be carefully balanced accordingly," says Anders Edenholm, Segment Manager Distribution at Volvo Trucks Europe, who initiated the project.
Collaboration at CampX enabled fast turnaround
The swift execution of the project in just six months was enabled by co-creation in the CampX arena in Gothenburg, where major contributors were located together in an open environment that enables innovation and collaboration.
"Thanks to the shared location, our global simulation platform, algorithms that were already in place and, last but not least, a very dedicated collaboration between all involved functions enabled a fast turnaround in this project," says Anders Edenholm.
Developing the tool further
"Looking ahead, we plan to develop the tool even further so that we can use it for other trucks within the electric range, during 2020. And we have already seen great interest from Volvo Trucks, Mack Trucks, and Renault Trucks," says Anders Edenholm.
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