Indian Startup, Infra Prime Logistics Technology, a Gurugram (near Delhi) based transport technology company offering data driven route optimsation and real time analytics for transport fleets has developed a 60 Ton electric tractor-trailer. The vehicle uses the chassis and cabin of a Tata Motors Signa series tractor. Interestingly the truck is in commercial use for medium to short hauls.

The truck has a 265 KW-H Li-ion phosphate battery pack installed behind the driver’s cabin. The battery pack itself weighs in at 2 tons. The truck has a claimed range of 400 km when unladen and 200 km with load. It has been specifically designed for fleet operations in mines and cement plants. One of the trucks is already in commercial use. The company claims that with its two speed transmission, the truck can haul 60 tons up a 20 degree incline. It uses a 160-kW twin gun fast charging system which can charge the battery from 0 to 100% in 90 minutes.

IPLT has designed all the major control systems required by the truck like the motor control system, battery management system and battery charging system inhouse. A major issue faced by electric vehicles in warm countries is the battery temperature. IPLT has handled the issue well by first selecting a Li-ion Phosphate battery which by design cannot have a thermal runaway. Secondly, the company installed a cooling system for the battery which uses an air conditioning system whose coolant cools each cell of the battery. This system is able to maintain a battery temperature of 35 degrees Celsius.

The company has taken a practical approach to electric cargo vehicles concentrating on the haulage capacity rather than running behind the 0-100 km/h timings which is not relevant for commercial vehicles. With low cost of electricity, subsidies on EVs and lower maintenance the company claims that the trucks cost INR 10/ km ( 14 cents/ km) as against INR 30/ km ( 43 cents/ km) for diesel trucks. This would improve the RoI and profitability for the fleet operators.

IPLT aims to produce 50 to 60 trucks per month and become one of the largest electric truck manufacturers in the world. Presently, these trucks are available to fleet operators only and may cost around INR 67 Lakhs (US$ 95, 700).

Video Courtesy ET Auto.

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