Report: Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV still on schedule for fall arrival

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E First EditionDespite the global coronavirus pandemic, Ford is still aiming to launch its Mustang Mach-E electric SUV on schedule this fall, according to the Detroit News. Some development work remains to be done on the Mach-E, which was unveiled in November 2019 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. That's been complicated by social distancing measures put in place to...

Liebherr Launch First Fully Electric Concrete Mixer Truck

Liebherr and Designwerk have developed the first fully electric truck mixers with 10 and 12 m³ drums on a 5-axle chassis. The first operations are planned for our customers Holcim and KIBAG in Switzerland. This design is perfect for Switzerland, where vehicles with a gross vehicle weight of 40 tonnes are allowed to drive on 5 axles.

Concrete production in the concrete plants is clean and environmentally friendly, as the mixing plants operate electrically. This is not yet the case when transporting the concrete to the construction site: Up to now, powerful diesel engines have been the norm for such applications - combined with emissions in terms of exhaust gases and noise.

The new ETM 1005 and 1205 truck mixers on a chassis from Futuricum will change that: They transport large quantities of concrete to the construction site quietly and reliably without exhaust emissions. Since distances from the concrete plant to the construction site are relatively short compared to freight traffic, this all-electric solution is particularly well suited for this application. Moreover, the vehicles return to the concrete plant again and again, where there is a charging infrastructure for the batteries. Thanks to large accumulator capacities, charging the batteries is normally only necessary overnight. The Futuricum chassis is extremely powerful, with the equivalent of 680 HP, and can easily cope with the weight of the concrete. Energy recovery during braking or downhill driving further increases the range of the truck and reduces operating and maintenance costs.

The drum drive developed by Liebherr and ZF consists of a low-maintenance and efficient unit of electric motor and mixer gearbox. For the first time, both the truck and the truck mixer body are powered jointly by the traction battery, eliminating the need for costly power electronics components. The new Liebherr Generation 05 electrified body offers further advantages: The compact electric drive for the mixing drum is flanged directly to the drum and its high efficiency ensures that power consumption for relieving the traction battery of the Futuricum truck remains low. It also eliminates the need for any hydraulic equipment - no hose connections, no pump, and therefore no risk of leakage. Liebherr's truck mixer body boasts a low net weight combined with the best possible transport volume, a long service life thanks to its special wear-resistant steel and the ergonomic design of the operation system and access points. A platform system on both sides allows flexible positioning and attachment of accessories or attachments to suit customer requirements.

All subassemblies, chassis and mixer bodies are optimally matched to each other by Liebherr and Futuricum. The weight distribution across the axles is ideal for very good driving characteristics. A temperature management system ensures that the components are cooled or heated as required. The ETM 1005 and 1205 on Futuricum chassis are a real breakthrough when it comes to environmentally friendly concrete transport.

Battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell? VW lays out why one is the winner

Volkswagen ID 3Most major automakers are actively working to reduce emissions, but they are not in agreement on how to do that. Some prefer battery-electric vehicles, while others champion hydrogen fuel cells as the superior zero-emission technology. Volkswagen has come down firmly on the side of batteries, and it explained why in a recent, well-illustrated...

Trump EPA lowers gas mileage targets, increases vehicle emissions

gas pumpThe Trump administration Wednesday morning released a Final Rule for new U.S. standards that will relax emissions and fuel economy requirements through the middle of the decade. The so-called Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) rule closely resembled what was leaked in January—requiring an approximately 1.5% improvement in the fleet...

BMW i Hydrogen Next fuel-cell SUV: With battery boost, more power than Mirai

BMW i Hydrogen Next development vehicle (fuel-cell X5)BMW has released the first technical details of the i Hydrogen Next, a fuel-cell vehicle based on the X5 SUV. First seen at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show, the vehicle's hydrogen fuel-cell drive system benefit from joint development between BMW and Toyota, while its fuel-cell stack itself will be wholly the product of Toyota. This is part of a...

Cleaner EVs, Aptera, cheap gas and ethanol: Today’s Car News

Design for new Aptera electric car, Aug 2019Electric cars are cleaner than gas cars almost everywhere. Ethanol faces more challenges at the pump. Battery-electric trains catch on in Europe. And will an activist strategy about oil stoke interest in Aptera? This and more, here at Green Car Reports. A study from the UK has found that electric cars are now cleaner than gasoline cars in 95% of...