Zero Emission Heavy Duty Mobile Equipment

EFRO Zero Emission Heavy Duty Equipment

The main objective of the EFRO project Zero Emission Heavy Duty mobile equipment is the development, demonstration and validation of electric-powered and hydrogen-electric powered heavy duty mobile vehicles.

Due to regulations regarding emissions (Dutch Climate Agreement, long-term strategy European Commission) and a market transition towards automation, there is a growing market demand for sustainability and digitalization of heavy duty mobile equipment. For example, the market demand for a sustainable and digitized Empty Container Handler (ECH) and Hooby Narrow Gauge is steadily increasing. The Empty Container Handler is a heavy duty mobile vehicle capable of moving containers, and is typically used in the port industry. The Hooby Narrow Gauge is a crane designed specifically for ditch/waterway maintenance by water boards. The minimal width of the mobile vehicle enables it to operate in the limited space adjacent to ditches.

Currently, both mobile vehicles operate on diesel fuel. The annual emissions of the entire fleet of vehicles for Hyster Yale and Hobelman are significant, highlighting the importance of sustainable alternatives from both Hyster Yale and Hobelman and its end users.

Among other things, ACE Mobility, HAN and Fontys are developing a modular and scalable technology in this project so that it can be implemented in making other heavy mobile vehicles more sustainable. In addition, we are working on several (digital) innovations related to data analytics. Thus, it is possible to create a predictive maintenance model, which can signal timely maintenance and in this way maximize the operational time of the mobile vehicles.