ORCA will produce two hybrid demonstrator vehicles: a truck and a bus. They will be exhibited at the project’s final event.
The Regional Distribution Volvo Truck
ORCA is developing a hybrid truck with an electric axle and the prototype is almost complete. The electrical architecture and connection of the batteries and cooling system still needs to be finalized, but the electric axle is connected and truck has already started to look like a hybrid for the first time!
On the control side, a two step release is planned, first a BEV (Battery Electric Truck) and after a PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Truck). This two step release will support the project timeline and the ZEZ (Zero Emission Zone) capability testing at TNO. Once the truck is turned into a PHEV, testing will mimic the transport assignments of regional and city distribution trucks, with different assumptions on charging infrastructure and conditions. After testing and validation have been completed, the demonstrator will be revealed to the public at ORCA’s final event in 2020.
The Multi-Model Hybrid IVECO Bus
ORCA is also developing a new multi-modal hybrid traction architecture with downsized ICE. Adaptation of the base vehicle is complete, all the components that will be replaced with new ORCA solutions have been removed and the chassis was adjusted for mounting all the key sub-systems. Preliminary check of the new e-driveline has been completed recently. After integrating all the ORCA components in the vehicle, the start-up in hybrid mode will be done and the vehicle will be sent to TNO for the final event and showcase in 2020.
