Trailer-Mounted Modular Battery Packs for Electric Truck Range
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current all-electric semi-trailers face challenges such as limited range, high weight of battery packs, difficulty in customizing battery power, and vulnerability to environmental conditions, which restrict their adoption in the long-haul trucking industry.
Innovation Solution
The development of an assembly system that allows for the removable and replaceable battery packs on commercial vehicles, with a mounting system, housings, and a power management system that monitors and manages the battery health and charge, enabling flexible battery configuration and easy maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If multiple battery packs are mounted within the tractor to extend range, then the operating range is improved, but the vehicle weight increases and load capacity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is divided into multiple separate battery packs that can be individually mounted in the trailer. Each battery pack is a discrete unit that can be independently installed, removed, or replaced. This segmentation allows the system to achieve extended range through multiple packs while enabling flexible weight management by only carrying the necessary number of packs for each trip.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery packs are relocated from the traditional under-cab position to the trailer area, utilizing vertical space above the trailer axles and along the trailer frame. This dimensional relocation frees up weight capacity in the tractor while distributing battery weight across the trailer structure, effectively moving the mass burden from the vehicle to the cargo area.
2Stability of the object's composition
If battery packs are integrated into the tractor during manufacturing, then the structural stability is improved, but the adaptability and ease of maintenance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system is segmented into modular packs that are physically separated from the tractor structure and mounted in the trailer instead. This segmentation maintains structural integrity of the tractor while enabling flexible reconfiguration of battery capacity by adding or removing packs from the trailer mounting locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The battery configuration transitions from a fixed, static arrangement integrated into the tractor to a dynamic, adjustable system where packs can be easily added, removed, or repositioned in the trailer. This dynamic capability allows the system to adapt to different operational requirements without compromising structural stability.
3Manufacturing precision
If battery packs are integrated into the tractor during manufacturing, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the ease of repair and replacement deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The battery packs are extracted from the tractor and relocated to the trailer, separating the energy storage system from the power delivery system. This extraction enables independent maintenance of each component - the tractor can be serviced without handling batteries, and battery packs can be replaced in the trailer without affecting the tractor's structural or electrical integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The trailer-mounted battery system enables the operator to service and replace battery packs independently at the trailer location without requiring specialized facilities or equipment at the tractor. This self-service capability significantly reduces maintenance downtime and complexity.
4Device complexity
If fixed battery capacity is used in all-electric semi-trailers, then the device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different operating conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The battery system uses multiple standardized, modular packs rather than a single large fixed-capacity system. This segmentation provides inherent flexibility - the same simple modular pack design can be combined in different quantities to achieve various total capacities, adapting to different route requirements without designing different battery systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular battery packs are designed with universal mounting interfaces and electrical connections that work across all configurations. The same pack design serves multiple functions - it can be used individually or in combination with other identical packs, mounted in different positions in the trailer, and easily replaced or reconfigured based on operational needs.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and system for mounting, monitoring, and managing one or more battery packs within a housing attached to or, integrated in, a commercial vehicle such as a semi-trailer for the purpose of providing battery power to all-electric powered commercial vehicles. One or more removable battery packs of various sizes may be mounted in one or more housings within an assembly installed on, or included as a structural part of, the frame of a commercial vehicle. Electrical connections on the installed battery packs connect the battery packs to each other and to the commercial vehicle electric motors. Computer systems permit the monitoring and managing of each installed battery pack. Thus, commercial vehicles may be provided with the appropriate battery power supply for an anticipated trip, without being required to purchase or to haul excess batteries and thus excess weight on the trip.