Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - February 2024 - 12

TECHNICAL INNOVATIONS
CHASSIS | ELECTRIFICATION
Tevva, ZF integrate brake-by-wire regen system for last-mile BEV
UK-based EV manufacturer Tevva recently
completed development of a regenerative
braking system on the company's
7.5-ton battery-electric truck.
Tevva collaborated with ZF to adapt its
Electronic Brake System (EBS) for use in
the truck. The system reportedly utilizes a
blend of regenerative and compressed-air
brakes to provide a high level of safety
and responsiveness for drivers.
" Our broad product portfolio, including
ZF's standardized Electronic Braking
System, enables faster time-to-market
for new, innovative market players such
as Tevva, " said Heiko Eggers, head of
commercial vehicle EMEA application
engineering for braking and ADAS for ZF.
" Their commitment and agile engineering
expertise allowed us to meet our
stringent safety requirements and complete
our project. We look forward to
seeing the first Tevva trucks on the road. "
Tireless testing
Tevva said its engineers successfully
met a strict range of testing criteria for
the company's truck to receive ZF's seal
of approval. Development included finetuning
the truck's vehicle control unit
(VCU) and maximizing compatibility
with ZF's EBS. Testing of the system
took place at ZF's facility in Jeversen,
Germany, and reportedly involved a variety
of conditions, grades and surfaces.
Series production of Tevva's truck
began earlier this year at the
company's London facility.
Tevva's Uzair Jilani, lead engineer,
drive and brake systems, said in a statement,
" We have worked hard to secure
a ringing endorsement from arguably
one of the world's most significant Tier
1 suppliers. Working with ZF is a crucial
step in the momentum we are building
as a truck manufacturer. The system has
been adapted for use with our regen
system; when the brake pedal is
pushed, most of the 'braking' is handled
by regen, meaning that the drive system
slows the vehicle down. "
Jilani continued, " The conventional
braking system is still needed to bring the
ZF's brake-by-wire system
functions by transmitting
electronic pressure commands
from ECU to pressure
modulators.
truck to a complete stop, but this double
layer of safety is an excellent aid to more
efficient driving. It also means that the
hardware undergoes less strain to extend
the braking system's life in the long run. "
Focused friction
According to Tevva, the result of this integration
is a system that recaptures up
to four times more energy than conventional
compressed-air braking, thus optimizing
the total range of the Tevva truck.
The regenerative braking system is reportedly
capable of up to 180 kW of regen,
compared to traditional air-brake
ZF's EBS is principally based on two pneumatic
and one electronic circuit for highly reliable
braking performance.
12 February 2024
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: TEVVA; ZF; ZF
Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - February 2024

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