DSD helps ‘balance the books’ for buying electric truck technology

In the discerning world of truck operations, where procurement decisions must be based on total cost of ownership (TCO), the case for moving to environmentally sustainable electric powertrains for heavy commercial vehicles that demand high initial capital outlay and bring concerns over range limitations, yet lower running costs, is a constant conundrum. But it may be solved via a new simulation system that matches powertrain characteristics to specific applications of an operator to achieve “significant” cost savings without compromising required range.

Developed by UK company Drive System Design (DSD), its chief engineer Mike Savage explained the whys and wherefores of the system: “We have pioneered a simulation process called ePOP (electrified Powertrain Optimization Process), in which the electrified powertrain is optimized for cost and range as a complete system, rather than focusing on individual elements.”