Towards a Circular Dutch Heavy-Duty Vehicle Value Chain: A Multi-Level Perspective analysis of the Dutch Heavy-Duty Vehicle Value Chain following the Solution-focused Sustainability Assessment

Stability in Truck Driving Behaviour: A Geo-Specific Analysis

Naturalistic driving research with a focus on trucks has been gaining momentum in the past decade. With the advancement in sensor technology and access to big data, it becomes possible to understand driver behaviour at a more fundamental level. This can assist in mitigating the impact trucks have on the environment while enhancing safety....

Experimental investigation of the effects of mudflaps on wheel aerodynamics by means of a simulated moving ground

This work provides a foundation for designing aerodynamic mudflaps used in heavy-duty vehicles, which will help these vehicles become greener. First, a simulated moving ground consisting of a leading edge, roller setup and a novel tangential blowing system was devised as an alternative to the expensive conveyor belts necessary for pertinent...

Identifying Stakeholder Perceptions of Overhead Catenary Electric Road Systems

Heavy-duty trucks (HDTs) are a significant contributor to global anthropogenic carbon emissions. In contrary to passenger cars, HDTs have to cope with decarbonization complications due to range and weight characteristics. Overhead catenary electric road systems (ERS-OC) can aid in decarbonizing this sector. Here, trucks are equipped with a...

Alternative fuels in heavy-duty truck transport for a sustainable future: A study assessing the feasibility ranking of hydrogen, battery electric, biodiesel HVO and LNG powered trucks in European heavy-duty transport when a JIT/JIS supply chain strategy is applied

Since the last decade, climate change and environmental awareness has received increasingly more attention from politicians and companies. In order to preserve earth’s climate, a lot has to be changed in current industry standards. In 2018, heavy-duty road transport was responsible for 680 million tonnes kg in transported commodities in the...

Modelling of Electric Powertrain for Heavy-Duty BEV

The automotive industry plays a crucial role in battling the climate crisis and reducing emissions. Medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicles alone contribute to one-fourth of global emissions in the transport sector and there is a positive trend in the demand for these vehicles. Battery Electric Trucks have the potential to transform the growing...

Prediction of Fuel Consumption of Long Haul Heavy Duty Vehicles using Machine Learning and Comparison of the Performance of Various Learning Techniques

This study aims at a possible solution to predict the fuel consumption of heavy duty diesel trucks, particularly, the tractor semitrailer for their long haul operations using various machine learning techniques. It intends to provide a possible alternative to simulation or physics based models, which often are very complicated. The stringent...

Flow Analysis between Two Bluff Bodies in a Close Distance Platooning Configuration

This article analyses the flow field between two 1/8-scale Generalized European Transport System (GETS) models which are placed in a two-vehicle platoon at close distances. Numerical simulations using the lattice Boltzmann method together with a wind tunnel experiment (open jet facility, OJF) were executed. Next to balance measurements,...

Electric trucks: wishful thinking or the real deal?: The potential of electric tractor-trailers as a means of CO2,eq reduction in the Netherlands by 2030

In this thesis a simplified vehicle model was developed using linear correlations between incidental power demand and energy usage at four different stages: 1) propulsion, 2) propulsion during braking, 3) regenerative braking, and 4) maximum regenerative power. In the model the efficiencies of: charging and discharging of the battery, the...

Numerical analysis of side-skirt in dual rear axle condition

The global fuel consumption by Heavy duty vehicles is an important issue in every climate change summit. Aerodynamic drag consumes majority of fuel at highway speeds. Thus, it is important to strive hard to reduce drag using different techniques. WABCO's SideWing (side-skirt) is an air dam (aerodynamic device) placed along the sides of the...

Base Drag Reduction of Heavy Duty Vehicles by Combining a Tail and Guide Vanes: A Numerical and Experimental Analysis

To limit the threat posed by global climate change it is vital to reduce the emissions of the transport sector in the short term. Two existing aerodynamic add-on devices for the rear-end of a heavy duty vehicle, a tail and guide vanes, are combined in an attempt to achieve a larger drag reduction. A research is performed using numerical...

Intralog Towards an autonomous system for handling inter-terminal container transport

As part of the National Transition Board Practice Research Raak/SIA program, the INTRALOG (intelligent Truck Application in Logistics) project investigated the practical application of zero emission Automatic Guided Trucks (AGTs) for the transport of containers in the Harbour Industrial Cluster (HIC) in the port of Rotterdam. The introduction of...

Design of Low Drag Bluff Road Vehicles

Low drag bluff road vehicle design can be obtained effectively and efficiently with a three phase approach that uses numerical simulations, scaled wind tunnel experiments and full-scale road testing. By applying this generalised method, SideWings were developed for an improved trailer underbody flow and tails for the trailer's rear-end. A...