The OE Pedigree of UFI Filters, a leader in filtration and in the production of heat exchangers for combustion, hybrid and electric vehicles, includes the multi heat exchanger for the transmission oil of Daimler Truck AG’s multi-award-winning electric truck.
In 2022, the German manufacturer’s commitment to developing electrified heavy vehicles received dual awards: the first mass-produced zero-emissions truck won the Truck Innovation Award 2023 and the Sustainable Truck of the Year 2023 in the Distribution category.
UFI Filters made its own significant contribution to the development of this vehicle by providing its know-how in the design and production of heat exchangers. For optimum operation of the e-axle, which incorporates two electric motors able to provide a continuous 300 kW, with peak power of up to 400 kW, UFI Filters developed a dual cooling system alongside the manufacturer. This is a module composed of two pairs of heat exchangers operating in parallel, installed in a single aluminium housing. The module is perfectly integrated with the transmission circuit, providing optimisation of the temperature of the fluid in the circuit.
The entire UFI Filters module is manufactured in the dedicated plant in Opole, Poland, and manufactured from aluminium using vacuum brazing techniques to provide high levels of durability and cleanliness. As well as increasing the lifespan of the entire transmission system, the heat exchanger contributes at the same time to reducing vehicle consumption.
The two major European awards won by the electric truck speak to how important investing in e-mobility development is for the manufacturers of heavy vehicles, too.
For the last five years, the Truck Innovation Award has been awarded by the International Truck of the Year jury to vehicles incorporating the most advanced technologies on vehicles with gross weight of over 3.5 tonnes and equipped with alternative fuel or drive systems. The Truck Innovation Award 2023 jury, composed of 25 expert sector journalists, recognised the advanced technology used in the German truck: the fast-charging, long-lifetime lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells and the speed of the manufacturer’s R&D process.
The Sustainable Truck of the Year award is also decided using very similar parameters: since 2016, the prestigious European award announced by the specialist magazine “Vado e Torno”, has marked a sustainability index by recognising the “greenest” vehicles in terms of emissions, safety, comfort, as well as the manufacturer’s commitment to sustainability matters.
The technology offered by UFI contributes to raising the performance of all types of motors, thereby reconfirming itself as a manufacturer of premium technologies, including for the electric motors used on heavy vehicles.