Innovation in the fast lane: The eTrailer sets new standards

Misano (IT), Poznan (PL), Nürburgring (DE), Jarama (ES) – at four races of the Goodyear FIA ETRC 2023 racing series, the eTrailer from Krone and Trailer Dynamics was able to thrill the audience on its “Mission Record-Run”. The goal was ambitious: The eTrailer, which can save up to 40 percent fuel with its electric drive support, was intended on the one hand to emotionalise the race-enthusiastic drivers on the European race tracks, and on the other hand to create a communicative platform for exchanging ideas about sustainability with technology-savvy decision-makers.

Haulers and visitors who wanted to delve deeper into the exciting subject of eMobility

The general conditions of the 2023 ETRC season, under which the innovative technology of Krone and Trailer Dynamics was presented to a wide audience, were challenging. The weather showed itself in all its facets, even at the first round with extreme rain in Misano in northern Italy. It was also an open question how the trailer’s powerful e-axle would affect the driving dynamics of the entire train during the record attempts.

But the eTrailer with its attractive racing design mastered all the challenges with flying colours – the response was overwhelming at all four race tracks and the international truck racing public was fascinated by the dynamics of the eTrailer. The direct encounter in the Fan Villages was particularly impressive for the team, which grew closer and closer together in the course of the season. After each ‘Record-Run’, the focus was on the exchange with drivers, hauliers and visitors who wanted to delve deeper into the exciting subject of eMobility.

Trailer Dynamics causes fuel consumption and thus CO2 emissions to drop by up to 40 percent

Abdullah Jaber, CEO at Trailer Dynamics, expects new insights for the further development of the eTrailer from the numerous measurement results of the world’s first record attempts with eTrailers. The stored data, including from the Electronic Braking System (EBS), is now being carefully evaluated – a valuable addition to the numerous field tests and test track routines.

While the first three races were contested by a red Iveco Stralis with a classic diesel engine and a Krone eTrailer on a curt insider basis, the final race in Jarama saw a Volvo FH-Electric with a Krone Dry Liner box trailer provide additional excitement on the course. This all-electric tractor-trailer combination opens up a completely different driving dynamic. In combination with a diesel tractor unit, the eTrailer from Krone and Trailer Dynamics causes fuel consumption and thus CO2 emissions to drop by up to 40 percent. In combination with a BEV tractor unit, on the other hand, the eTrailer as a range extender primarily increases the range of the combination, which is otherwise limited by the battery capacity of the truck.

Krone has entered real new territory with this campaign

In view of the still poorly developed European-charging infrastructure for BEV trucks, the final almost 2,000 km tour to Jarama once again presented a special challenge for Abdullah Jaber: “We had doubts whether we would be able to cover this distance with the fully electric combination. That is why we had planned four days to be on the safe side. We started on Monday, but were already there on Tuesday – so fantastic.”

Simon Richenhagen, Head of Marketing at Krone Trailer, is also completely satisfied with the results of the “Mission Record-Run”: “The exciting laps on the race tracks have impressively proven that the eTrailer not only inspires drivers, but also haulers who want to make their fleets more sustainable. By the way, Krone has entered real new territory with this campaign: Not only were we the first to drive an eTrailer on a racetrack, but we were also the first with an all-electric tractor-trailer.”