Ford Trucks is constantly striving to be a leader in zero-emission transport solutions of the future. The company's dedicated research and development department is accelerating its work to provide more efficient and cost-effective solutions for the logistics sector. This is happening with a new generation of electric trucks as part of the NextETRUCK project.
NextETRUCK is a €2 million project subsidised by the European Union from Horizon Europe, a research and development fund, which will support the logistics industry by shaping the design of Ford Trucks' electric trucks.
Ford Trucks is determined to develop innovative and sustainable solutions. The company has extensive experience and engineering expertise which, together with a dedicated R&D team, is intensifying its NextETRUCK project. All with the aim of developing an emission-free electric truck with the highest payload in its class and a significantly reduced tare weight.
Ford Trucks' active participation in the NextETRUCK project emphasises the importance of innovation and research in the field of electric vehicle technology, and contributes to expanding its product portfolio with advanced, efficient and sustainable transport solutions.
Experts predict that the commercial transport sector, which is currently heavily dependent on fossil fuels and accounts for 37% of carbon emissions, will continue to grow in the coming years. The European Union, which supports a sustainable policy against global warming, aims to make the economy zero-carbon by 2050. Electrification of vehicles and fleets is the key to the sector's decarbonisation strategy. The NextETRUCK project, which is part of the Horizon Innovations Actions programme, is supported by the European Union under the European Green Deal objectives.
The NextETRUCK project will see the introduction of a lightweight chassis manufactured under a new technology. Ford Trucks will build a 16-tonne electric truck based on this chassis, which will be tested for six months, transporting goods between Ford Otosan plants. From the tests, data will be collected showing its performance to make appropriate recommendations to the logistics industry. Ford Trucks will rigorously investigate lightweight chassis technologies to increase the weight efficiency of the electric truck and improve the overall performance of the vehicle.
NextETRUCK, as a result of its testing, will additionally provide information that will guide developments for the logistics industry. The project focuses on building an electric truck that stands out for its reduced tare weight, advanced thermal management and integration of an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS). In addition, it includes the acquisition of expertise in service-oriented architecture (SOA) tools to improve fleet operations, efficient charging management and prediction of optimal routes. The NextETRUCK project also includes significant changes, such as updating EPE parts, creating an innovative temperature management system, redesigning the chassis, new frame supports, software improvements and modifying the cab.
The NextETRUCK Consortium meeting, held at Ford's Otosan R&D centre in Istanbul, brought together 18 companies from 9 countries. During the meeting, the project team was briefed on the current and future stages of the work. The process was reviewed, with all current tasks being carried out on schedule. The project has progressed with pilot plans and outlines related to vehicle telematics, thermal management, vehicle analysis tools and range. The next interim evaluation meeting of the consortium's work will take place in Brussels in February 2024.
