After carrying out different field tests, a Brazilian company launches the German company’s first electric truck that transports up to 120 tons.
A renowned Mercedes-Benz truck was chosen by VIX Logística, a company specialized in personalized logistics solutions of the Águia Branca Group, in Brazil, to become an electric heavyweight with a maximum traction capacity of 120 tons.
The truck, called Atlas and designed on the basis of a Axor 3344, is the first developed in the region with this capacity, and becomes part of the VIVA (Autonomous Vehicles) portfolio, the company’s new business area focused on innovation and creation of sustainable technologies focused on logistics. From now on, the heavy vehicle will be tested on selected customers, to calibrate the systems and analyze the performance.
Mercedes-Benz Axor 3344, the first extra-heavy electric truck designed in South America
The Mercedes-Benz Axor 3344 in 6×4 configuration is a conventional truck that lost its diesel engine and was customized to use electric motors and lithium iron phosphate batteries. With this size, the brute no longer uses around 8,300 liters of diesel per month, reducing emissions by up to 21 tons of CO2.
“Having an innovation drive within the company allows us to test solutions and implement creative and bold ways to address the challenges that arise when integrating some teams. Furthermore, the adoption of more efficient and sustainable technologies is an important market trend. “VIVA and all the investments in the development of electric vehicles and autonomous equipment place VIX at the forefront of this movement and keep us one step ahead in the logistics sector,” stood out Elias Alves, director of VIX and head of VIVA.
The company’s biggest challenge in obtaining the traction capacity of 120 tons was the development of components and technologies that guarantee the necessary robustness without compromising the energy efficiency of the heavy vehicle. It is worth mentioning that A diesel truck can carry up to 75 tons in these applications.
“The goal is to find the best balance between charging capacity, autonomy and dimensions of the battery pack. “Replicating the same traction capacity of an internal combustion vehicle and surpassing it is an important technical challenge and that is what we are pursuing with this project,” the executive highlights.
To recharge the batteries, the truck requires a specific direct current power point, which allows quick recharge option. This is a relatively simple mobilization in the case of operations carried out in industrial areas and that have their own electricity generation.
Also, it has an intelligent battery temperature monitoring system and robust fire extinguishing equipment, as well as mechanical containment to protect the batteries, electrical isolation of the system and sensors distributed throughout all the elements that were integrated during its construction, allowing operation to be monitored and safety guaranteed.
The potential of the electric Axor 3344 is wide, since is capable of covering different types of operationssuch as internal movement, internal transportation of wood, transportation of steel products such as steel plates and coils in port areas, movement in storage yards of support materials in oil and gas sector areas, internal movements of filler materials ‘a bulk’ in mining and steel mill areas.
Furthermore, and to verify its efficiency, the Brazilian company Suzano began using this high-capacity electric truck in alliance with the company VIX Logistics. The first tests began to be carried out at the end of May within the company’s regular transportation operations in Aracruz, which marks a significant advance in the energy transition of the fleet destined to transport pulp.
