AEROFLEX smart power dolly: Towards efficient and mission-oriented long-haul vehicles

This paper is part of the AEROFLEX - AEROdynamic and FLEXible Trucks for Next Generation of Long Distance Road Transport - project. This project develops and demonstrates new technologies, concepts and architectures for complete vehicles that are energy efficient, safe, comfortable, configurable and cost-effective, while ensuring that the varying needs of customers are satisfied by being flexible and adaptable with respect to the continuously changing operational conditions. The paper concentrates on the concept and development of the distributed hybrid powertrain and the sophisticated energy and torque management system. In long-haul vehicles a distributed powertrain can be realized by installing additional power units in the towed vehicles like dollies and/or trailers. This pursues two main objectives: 1. reducing fuel consumption by the usage of electric powertrains and thus hybridizing the whole vehicle combination and 2. improving the driveability of longer and heavier long-haul vehicles by adding additional drive axles, which e.g. improve gradeability.