The final webinar in the series focused on the NextETRUCK pilot in Barcelona. The pilot showcased a collaboration between IRIZAR, developer and producer of electric trucks for urban operations, and TECNALIA, provider of vehicle technology and cloud-based solutions.
Purpose-built e-trucks: an urban revolution
Iñigo Larman from IRIZAR Group presented the company’s electric truck platform, originally developed to make urban waste collection more sustainable but designed to support a wide range of applications depending on customer needs.
Purpose-built as an electric vehicle for urban operations, the electric refuse truck offers several advantages, including:
- One of the lowest cab access heights on the market.
- Improved direct visibility through a lower driver seating position.
- Simplified maintenance procedures.
- A flexible platform allowing adaptation to different use cases while maintaining the benefits of a fully electric design.
As part of the NextETRUCK project, the vehicle was equipped with a new third-generation NMC battery system. The upgrade increased total energy capacity by 80% and energy density by 62%, while reducing the number of battery packs required.
Connected vehicles for better performance
Beñat Arteta from TECNALIA then presented the results of the organisation’s collaboration with IRIZAR on connected vehicle technologies, including digital twins and cloud-based solutions. Vehicle models are evaluated and validated in the cloud under different weather and driving conditions before being integrated into onboard systems such as the Logistics Planner and Thermal System Model.
These tools are combined within an IoT-based Smart Navigation system, which continuously interacts with the vehicle’s digital twin to provide drivers with optimal routing recommendations. The project also introduced new cloud-connected charging infrastructure, further enhancing connectivity across the entire ecosystem.
The results
After six months of operation, monitoring results confirmed that vehicle efficiency remains strongly influenced by ambient temperature. Nevertheless, the innovations developed within NextETRUCK delivered significant benefits, including improved energy efficiency, a 95% increase in operational range, and a reduction in total cost of ownership.
The webinar concluded by acknowledging the challenges that remain for large-scale deployment of electric trucks. At the same time, ongoing research, technological innovation, and industry commitment to electrification continue to drive progress towards a more sustainable freight transport sector.