Durring the recent pre-press conference German truck manufacturer has revealed new technologies that is already or will soon hit the roads.

Electric cars are starting to become a real thing. Their range keeps getting bigger, making them more and more usable. To be honest in many cases, electric cars could actually cope with our everyday needs. What about trucks? Apart from Tesla and their semi-truck, there is no mayor player, that could provide a solution on this field. Or is it? German company MAN just might be among those with the solution.

Two months before the IAA MAN organized pre-press conference to represent products, solutions and concepts, that should hit the market within the next few years. After all, this year MAN is achieving an important milestone by launching their first electric van to the market, the eTGM, which is based upon Volkswagen's Crafter and is already on sale in selected markets. But electric drive is not limited just to the vans as MAN has some bigger plans.

Electric truck to follow the electric van

Much bigger to be precise. Among the most interesting vehicles on display vas TGM E, an electric truck made for distribution of refrigerated food. While not planned to go on the road before 2021, this fully functional electric truck is capable of traveling up to 180 kilometers on a single charge thanks to 12 Lithium Ion batteries with a total capacity of 185 kWh. They provide energy to a single electric motor, that has a power output of 265 kilowatts. Thanks to it the truck accelerates in the same way as any normal petrol- or diesel-driven car and while it is not in regular use yet, there are already few test examples making regular deliveries in Austrian town of Salzburg and Wien.

Electric propulsion however is not the only innovative technology in the field of trucks, MAN is working on. Just like Volvo a while ago there are also developing concept of platooning, which is already being tested on the highway between Munich and Nurnberg. The basic principle here is to have a pair of trucks, with the first in the convoy being operated by a human driver, while the rest of them following are following each other at the distance of 15 meters without drivers doing anything. Instead trucks are equipped with wifi, radar system, camera and different other sensors, that enable the vehicle to follow the one in front independently.

While those technologies have been among the most interesting on display, MAN is also working on telemetries for trucks, adaptive cruise control and e-mobility. We can thus safely say, that trucks of the future are about to be much safer, cleaner and efficient to say at least. And this will happen in not so remote future.

July 10, 2018 Driving photo: Jure Šujica

This website uses cookies.
To comply with the EU regulations you must confirm your consent to their use.

You can do that by clicking "OK" or simply continuing to browse this website.
If you do not wish to have cookies set, you can opt out in cookie settings

close