The TA15 autonomous electric hauler – part of the TARA autonomous transport solution from Volvo Autonomous Solutions – has won a Red Dot Award, the most prestigious global mark for industrial design quality in product design.
The TA15 impressed a panel of design experts in Essen, Germany, to win a Red Dot Product Design Award 2020 – a seal of high-quality design from the world’s largest and most distinguished design competition.
Volvo Autonomous Solutions says that the battery-electric load carrier is a new machine concept compared to traditional off-road hauling, and forms one element of its TARA transport solution. The manufacturer adds that it is designed to disrupt today’s off-road hauling.
The hauler runs on a battery-electric drivetrain based on shared technology from the Volvo Group. The automation system uses GPS, lidar, radar and multiple sensors. Being autonomous, the TA15 does not need a cabin – making for a dramatically new machine profile.
With a 15-tonne hauling capacity, TA15 forms part of the wider TARA autonomous transport solution concept, so that a series of them can be connected to form a ‘train’ of machines, for maximum loading and hauling efficiency. The TA15 will be a critical element of the TARA electric and autonomous transport solution.
Commenting on the award, Nils Jæger, president at Volvo Autonomous Solutions, said: “We are thrilled to have won such a prestigious award as the Red Dot. It shows that we are delivering world-class designs at the cutting edge of autonomous vehicle technology. We are proud to continue the Volvo Group tradition of being innovative leaders in the commercial vehicle and machine design arenas.”
The autonomous electric hauler was, and will continue to be, developed by Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) based on the former HX02 concept and has now been handed over for commercialisation to Volvo Autonomous Solutions, a new business area of the Volvo Group.
Operational since 1st January 2020, Volvo Autonomous Solutions’ objective is to ‘accelerate the development, commercialisation and sales of autonomous transport solutions, as a complement to the Volvo Group’s current products and services’. Volvo CE also won a Red Dot award itself this year, for a machine that, due to the coronavirus outbreak, will be introduced to the market later this year.
“It is exciting that two Volvo products have been awarded this internationally recognised mark of design excellence,” says Melker Jernberg, president of Volvo CE. “On top of that, it is great that this is the result of a great internal collaboration with Volvo Autonomous Solutions. Partnership is the new leadership.”
Belarusian manufacturer BelAZ is also developing the use of electric power with a new dump truck. The machine will feature a payload of 90tonnes and be powered by a battery that is being supplied by a South Korean firm.
BelAZ has been building diesel-electric haul trucks for many years and in much smaller capacities than competing firms such as Caterpillar, Hitachi and Komatsu. The company has considerable experience with electric drives for haul trucks, and many of its previous models have featured innovative designs.
The firm says that offering a battery-powered haul truck will be of benefit for use in countries where diesel fuel prices are particularly high.
BelAZ adds that it is in discussions with a number of suppliers of charging systems at present.
Trial operations for the truck are expected to commence at the BelAZ test facility in the third quarter of 2020.
Derbyshire, England-based Longcliffe Quarries, a major UK independent supplier of high-purity calcium carbonates, has taken delivery of 10 new Volvo trucks, with its order comprising eight FH 6x2 tractor units and two FM 8x4 rigids.
The firm specified the FH tractor units with Globetrotter cabs, each built with rear air-suspension and a lightweight fixed pusher axle on 17.5-inch wheels, helping to maximise payload potential. Also contributing to the vehicle’s low tare weight are brushed aluminium rims, aluminium fuel and air tanks and an aluminium trailer connection arch mounted behind the cab.
They are joined in service by two new FM rigids in a matching two-tone white and blue livery, with tipper bodywork from Swadlincote Aluminium & Welding.
Supplied by Hartshorne Motor Services, the new trucks will deliver the company’s products around the UK – the FHs pulling bulk powder tankers, while the 8x4 tippers will carry aggregates.
“Companies need to take a longer-term view to a more sustainable future,” says James Hopkinson, transport manager at Longcliffe Quarries. “Coupled with our new state-of-the-art washing plant and wind turbines, we are clearly demonstrating that we take our environmental responsibilities very seriously, and that is why we are committed to delivering a less carbon-intensive transport fleet.
“We’ve had very positive feedback on the Volvos; we placed the order after being really impressed with how the FH demonstrator performed. We already knew about Volvo’s reputation for reliability, which is a major factor in our kind of work.”
The 6x2 FHs are powered by Volvo’s latest Euro-6, Step D, 13-litre diesel engine delivering 500 hp and 2,500 Nm of torque, while the 8x4 rigids generate 420 hp and 2,100 Nm of torque. The FHs also benefit from Volvo’s long-haul fuel package, which combines the latest generation technologies to deliver the best fuel efficiency on every journey – keeping emissions to a minimum.
All new trucks have been specified with four-way cameras for added safety, along with a tyre pressure monitoring system to proactively notify the driver should any tyres be operating above or below optimum inflation pressures.
To maximise driver comfort, the tractor units also feature Volvo’s Drive+ and Living1 packages, which includes an under-bunk fridge/freezer.
“Our drivers do a lot of long-haul work and can often be away overnight, so comfort is also important,” says Hopkinson. “The Adaptive Cruise Control is also very popular; it makes the use of cruise control much easier – again giving our drivers less to worry about and more peace of mind.”
Joining Longcliffe Quarries’ fleet of 41 commercial vehicles, the new Volvos will be in service for five years and are expected to cover approximately 100,000km per year, working up to six days a week.
Longcliffe’s Derbyshire quarries have been a supplier of high purity calcium carbonates for nearly 100 years. The company produces limestone annually for a vast range of critical industries, from animal feeds and pet foods to supplying the UK’s pharmaceutical and food industries. The new Volvo trucks will contribute to Longcliffe’s ongoing efficiency goals, as well as to its objective of reaching zero-carbon quarrying operations by 2027.
