IN DISTRIBUTION transport the decision seems to have been made: battery electric vehicles are the means of choice. Accordingly, MAN Truck & Bus already offers series production of the eTGE panel van as well as the eTGM electric rigid truck. The all-electric truck of the new generation will hit the road from 2023.
Apart from the rapid development of battery technology, hydrogen (H2) is a good complementary option as an alternative fuel for long distance transport, which is why MAN Truck & Bus, as reported in last month’s TN, is now presenting its R&D roadmap for this:
Prototype vehicles are to be built as early as next year in line with the current ongoing development projects. MAN is testing both the use of a fuel cell and an H2 combustion engine with the advantage being that this form of electric mobility is environmentally friendly. When in use, fuel cells do not cause any climate damaging emissions. On the other hand, thanks to the on-board power generation, their range of approximately 800km is large enough for long distance transport with a high payload.
The hydrogen combustion engine, suggests MAN, offers a more readily available and robust solution to electric thanks to well-known basic technology and could thus serve as a bridging technology. Practical trials with selected customers are planned for 2023/24.
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