Designwerk and Kässbohrer Launch Electric Car Transporter

Designwerk Technologies AG, in close cooperation with Kässbohrer Transport Technik GmbH, will deliver its new car transporter for the international market starting next year. It is the first fully electric vehicle transporter with a battery capacity of up to 1000 kilowatt-hours. Since spring 2022, models with market-specific dimensions have been on Swiss roads.

(Winterthur/Eugendorf) The electric car carrier has been available for order from the leading European vehicle transport expert Kässbohrer since November 2022, with various trailer and body variants.

In its largest version with 1000 kilowatt-hours capacity and a range of up to 510 kilometers, the Mid Cab 6x2R meets all the special requirements of high-performance automotive logistics. Built on a Volvo FM base chassis, the commercial vehicle guarantees short downtimes with a charging capacity of 350 kilowatts: The vehicle can be charged to 80 percent battery capacity in under two hours*. Automotive logisticians and manufacturers benefit from efficient and emission-free delivery and are no longer dependent on fossil fuels.

No emissions and a powerful drive – The newly designed car carrier for international markets combines the advantages of a CO2-free Designwerk drive with highly efficient loading solutions from Kässbohrer. The loading solutions developed in collaboration with the partner include the integration of the so-called foldable platform and a telescopic drawbar for maximum flexibility. The four electric drive motors of the tractor deliver 500 kilowatts (680 hp) with more than three times the efficiency of comparable diesel models on the road.

Four Modular Battery Packs

In the model with a battery capacity of 1000 kilowatt-hours, four modular battery packs provide the necessary energy. Depending on the application, these can be individually placed when ordering. There are versions with 18.75 meters and up to 19.75 meters in base length. “Depending on the application, we adapt the car carrier to the specific needs of the customers, ensuring optimal utilization,” says Markus Erdmann, Product Manager E-Trucks at Designwerk. Sales of the new model series with up to 1000 kWh for the international market started in November. The first deliveries will take place in Germany in 2023. The first automotive logisticians, such as ARS Altmann AG and Mosolf SE & Co. KG, plan to use the fully electric car carrier in spring 2023 with versions tailored to their respective applications. The Swiss transport and logistics company Galliker Transport AG, a pioneer in the field of green logistics, literally set the project in motion in collaboration with Designwerk in 2022 with a CH version with 900 kilowatt-hours.

Built for Various Applications

The number of cars that can fit on the trailer depends on the battery capacity and the location of the installed batteries on the car transporter. In practice, the battery-powered car transporter is suitable for various applications: For heavy distribution traffic of vehicles from the factory to the dealer with eight cars, 340 to 500 kilowatt-hours are sufficient with a range of 260 to 300 kilometers. The transport logisticians Altmann and Mosolf plan to use these versions of the Designwerk vehicle transporters. For medium and international routes, Designwerk positions itself with the top model with 1000 kilowatt-hours capacity as a pioneer with a unique solution for current challenges such as large-sized electric cars. Seven SUVs can fit on Kässbohrer’s articulated truck and can be transported up to 510 kilometers on a single battery charge.

Emission-Free Car Delivery

The battery-electric Designwerk Mid Cab 6x2R is not only more economical but also more ecological over the vehicle’s lifetime compared to equivalent diesel vehicles. According to the comprehensive cradle-to-grave method and depending on the regional power mix, it emits up to 76 percent less CO2 in Switzerland. The CO2 savings in Germany amount to about 46 percent. The fully electric car transporter is low-noise and does not burden the environment with soot particles. The vehicle batteries can be reused as stationary storage and subsequently recycled. The high-voltage battery systems with NMC technology used are sourced from Designwerk’s own battery production. They are characterized by their modular design and high energy density in a compact space compared to the competition. Designwerk is thus electrifying a wide range of commercial vehicles.

*Charging from 10 – 80% SoC

Photos: © Designwerk