The EDAG Group has presented "BatteRANGE", its highly versatile chassis concept study, to the public at the IAA 2018. “BatteRANGE” can be adapted to fit various wheel formulae, wheelbases and drive trains. This makes it suitable for just about all commercial vehicle types, from the motor coach to the semi-trailer truck.
"The growing demand for alternative drive concepts was our motivation to develop a flexible, configurable truck chassis," explains Jochen Seifert, Managing Director of EDAG Engineering Schweiz GmbH. "Our focus, however, was not solely on the integrability of various drive concepts, but also on scalability, in line with the wide variety of commercial vehicles."
Modular and cost-saving
The basis is the innovative EDAG front end presented at the IAA 2016 for the very first time. To enable the diverse requirements of different drive trains, lengths and wheel formulae to be installed, the truck chassis was divided into three parts. The front section is made up of large cast parts with load path-optimised nodes which provide sufficient space for the integration of the independent wheel suspension. Furthermore, this also offers enough space for the integration of the drive train components. The range of drive options that can be integrated covers electric motors with a battery or fuel cells, diesel and gas engines. The energy storage device selected is accommodated in the scalable centre section. This consists of identical parts and sections, some of which are used more than once. This makes not only scalability but also low-cost production possible. The centre section can be pre-assembled ready for mounting beside the production line. In the rear section, the axle combinations required are conventionally connected, and components such as the low coupling and tail lift integrated. Together, the rear module and centre module cover all regular commercial vehicle wheelbases
Chassis concept of the future
"The scalable chassis will inspire the commercial vehicle sector. It provides a solid basis, can be individually adjusted for just about any application, and can be produced efficiently," according to Cosimo De Carlo, CEO of the EDAG Group. "This innovative concept demonstrates our ability to proactively address the current challenges of the commercial vehicle industry, and provide intelligent solutions for successfully handling growing powertrain diversity, both technically and economically."