Continental Trade Fair Highlight: Broad Portfolio for Electric Commercial Vehicles

Far from relying solely on hardware components, Continental is following a holistic approach along the product industrialization path. The e-mobility experts of the Hanover-based company offer all the steps from a single source, ranging from requirements definition and consulting & design to E/E architecture, software solution development and serial production. Here, the development team can combine the best of two worlds: the knowledge gained over decades in the commercial vehicle sector and the latest findings from development projects relating to electric cars. Continental’s product portfolio for electrically powered commercial vehicles encompasses DC/DC converters and a wide range of control components, including sound modules, intelligent sensors for battery monitoring, battery management systems and charge controllers, high-voltage cables and many more solutions.

Also, Continental engineers are working with Siemens Mobility at full speed on another solution – the pantograph for dynamic charging, which means supplying power from overhead lines to charge the e-battery while driving. The National Platform for the Future of Mobility, an innovation initiative of the German Federal Ministry of Transport, recommends equipping 4,000 kilometers of highway with the overhead contact line technology by 2030. “This could be an optimal solution for the future, especially for heavy-duty traffic – it avoids long waiting times at charging stations and the battery can be made much smaller,” says Alex Rupprecht, who is responsible for the development of the pantograph at Continental. “We believe that dynamic charging is the clear favorite to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions – despite the competition of other technologies using fuels like hydrogen and other synthetic fuels.”

Continental is also highly involved in other usage scenarios as a development partner of vehicle and component manufacturers for electric mobility in passenger cars. For instance, the company developed new sensors to protect e-batteries. The commercial vehicle sector will also benefit from these investments in the future. “We plan to systematically expand our product range in cooperation with our passenger car colleagues, since car components can often be used after only slight modifications have been made,” says Ismail Dagli.

Truck and bus manufacturers also have reliable e-mobility partners in the Tires and ContiTech group sectors. Last year, Continental developed the Conti Urban city bus tire, which has an increased load index designed specifically for electric buses in urban traffic. The load-bearing capacity of the tire is based on the higher vehicle weights of electric buses. Since 2016, Continental has been active in several development partnerships, for instance, with all the relevant manufacturers of commercial vehicles, for tires specifically designed to meet the requirements of e-trucks and e-buses.

High-performance plastics developed by ContiTech are also used in the commercial vehicle sector – for example, industry experts are equipping a major bus manufacturer’s e-buses with axle air springs that meet the high demands of urban traffic in the best possible way. Engine mounts provide even more comfort in the passenger cabin by dampening the vibrations of the electric motor, helping to prevent unpleasant, high-frequency whistling and booming noises. Continental experts are also developing wiring systems for electric vehicles. Electric trucks’ cooling and heating lines can comprise up to 100 individual pipes and hoses, plus many transition elements.

At the IAA TRANSPORTATION, visitors to the Continental booth (Hall 12, Booth C29) will not only experience the portfolio for electric commercial vehicles, but also many other solutions for the major challenges of the mobile future in freight transport.