The message from the Brisbane Truck show was clearly that electric vehicles have arrived in Australia and will transform how we operate into the future.
And at the heart of the transformation is Dana, who can boast of having over 20,000 commercial vehicles operating today around the world with their TM4 electric motor range.
Dana Incorporated was formed back in 1904 and built their first battery electric driveline in 1967 which led to the development of over 1,600 related patents. Today, they work with a wide range of manufacturers in supplying complete electrified systems for light, medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
Here in Australia, they are recognised as a leader in drivetrain, sealing and thermal products for Automotive, Commercial vehicles and Off-Highway applications. They are also an industry leader in e-Powertrain integration and you can see their products across a range of electric vehicles.
Under e-Power Systems, Dana offers a range of electronic cradles, battery packs, battery management systems, on-board chargers and low-voltage auxiliary solutions such as air compressors and power steering units.
Under e-Propulsion systems, there are a range of high-voltage motors, inverters, e-Drive units and e-Drive axles, along with system software and controls to bring everything together.
There are also thermal management products and controllers for a full electric vehicle solution.
Brad Wolstenholme, the head of Sales and Marketing for Dana Australia was on hand at the show to run us through their latest products. ‘We have four high-voltage motors on display at the show that represents the heavy-duty TM4 range.’
The SUMO HD Motor and CO300 Inverter offers a central motor with a direct drive, which is suited for projects where you want to swap a standard motor for an electric option, particularly in large buses and heavy-duty trucks. With a 9-phase system, operating with max voltage of 750 Volts, peak power of 250-350 kW and continuous power of 195-260 kW, it is an ideal solution for converting conventional diesel vehicles over to electric.
“These are used in a range of applications, from manufacturers of electric vehicles to conversion solutions such as the one in the Janus Electric truck, to one off applications such as in mining,” Wolstenholme explains.
The smaller SUMO HP Motor and CO150 Inverter is designed for generators, e-Axles and e-Trans applications using 3-phase with a max voltage of 750 Volts, peak power of 205-440 kW and continuous power of 150-340 kW.
Also on display was the eS9000r axle with a max GVW of 10.6 tons. Providing peak power of 237 kW and max torque of 9,000 Nm up to 130 km/hr, it has a wide range of applications, especially in Australia.
“We receive a lot of enquiries from customers who are looking for a single build to over 1,000. Electric motors and electric axles offer many advantages over conventional engines and the interest is increasing across the industry,” adds Wolstenholme.
With so many examples of electric vehicles going into operations across the world as well as here in Australia, we are sure this momentum will continue.
