MAZARO’s innovative transmissions for unrivalled electricity and fuel savings in transport

Project Information

TRUFUS

Grant agreement ID: 768386

DOI

10.3030/768386

Project closed

EC signature date 9 November 2017

Start date 2 May 2017

End date 1 February 2020

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 2 967 096,25

EU contribution

€ 2 076 967,38

Coordinated by

MAZARO NV
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - TRUFUS (MAZARO’s innovative transmissions for unrivalled electricity and fuel savings in transport)

Reporting period: 2019-07-02 to 2020-02-01

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Overall transport accounts for ±25% of Greenhouse Gas emissions, and 38% of Earth’s global fossil fuel use. During the past few years, the EU has set several policies to reduce emissions from transport ( e.g. Directives 98/70/EC, 2009/33/EC, 2005/55/EC and 2005/78/EC, Regulation No 333/2014 and standard EURO 6, Directives). To meet these goals, two key units targeted are the engine and the transmission.

MAZARO’s founder started designing a disruptive innovation beyond existing transmission mechanisms and created the TRUFUS technology.
Automotive experts are excited about the technology, but road demonstration and production preparation are needed for a successful market launch. Therefore, TRUFUS aims to demonstrate and prove in real vehicles the characteristics of MAZARO’s technology. The demos concern an engine driven bus or a tractor (RVT) and an electric delivery truck (SVT). Once the systems will have reached the set criteria, they will be prepared for production and market launch.

Technical objectives:
• Further optimization of components and software algorithms for an additional 3% efficiency gain, increasing the current prototype’s overall efficiency from 90,7 to nearly 94%;
• Prepare in-vehicle control software;
• Tune the cooler for optimum driving efficiency and comfort;
• Implementation in demo-vehicle and testing: the RVT in an urban bus or tractor, the SVT in a plug-in electric delivery truck.
• Prepare the RVT urban bus or tractor model for serial production.

Commercial objectives :
• Revolutionize the transmission market and become a champion as automotive engineering company transforming TRUFUS into a global business;
• Make commercial agreements with customers from the target markets: first Europe then North America. Since Fall 2016, a first customer (prominent bus manufacturer) wishes to test the RVT in their 18-meter buses. In the meantime the political objectives have been changed towards electrification of public transport. During the TRUFUS project, Mazaro started up an alternative project for an RVT in a tractor.
• Employ 19 new employees at MAZARO by 2026;
• Introduce the TRUFUS technology in the market by 2019;
• Safeguard design IP by patents and software IP by coding and obtain the necessary certifications for the business;
• Development of dissemination & communication plan (4 new customers by 2021).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The full report from Applus-Idiada concerning the E-truck performance evaluation and the subjective driving experience of a professional driver is available. The results are quite positive. (WP2, Task 2.2)
During the remainder of this project already 2 companies (a professional test driver from Punch Powertrain and a Chinese investor) have made an evaluation drive. Another test drive by an investor is planned. (WP 5, Task 5.1)

The RVT for the bus has been replaced by an RVT for 2 tractor models. Unfortunately the tractor OEM has put this project on hold for 12 months because of internal reasons. Therefore, interface and integration data were not available, so that the design could not be fully finalized. Nevertheless, by the end of the project, the tractor OEM restarted the project and a full manufacturability study and cost calculation study is started. This is the most important aspect of task 3.4.

The complete manufacturing feasibility, cost evaluation, the Mazaro design and calculation process, including the Finite Element calculation of all components and demo truck driving behavior has been analysed by Punch Powertrain. This study confirmed that the new SVT301 can be produced in high volumes.(Task 3.4)

All technical innovations have been fully defined, prototypes were made and fully tested, optimized and validated. These results will shorten the development time of these new transmissions. The innovations are: new position sensors applied in the real conditions, new speed sensing principles and their components and most important a complete new hydraulic control method. (WP 1 & 2)
The latter is also validated on a transmission (SVT230). It confirms an additional increase in efficiency of 0.83%. The 4th patent text for protection of this technology is updated with the most recent findings and is ready to be filed. (task 1.8 4.1)

To improve the protection of know-how and the reliability of the controller software, Mazaro engineering is now able to compile and code themselves the transmission control software into their controller. (WP 2, task 4.1)

Finally, Mazaro has secured its path to commercialization by involving specialized companies in commercialization of technology and in attracting investors. These companies are Cukierman, MNA, Tojoy and Thingit. Early 2020, Mazaro has 24 customer contacts ongoing and 2 alliances with large companies have been signed for commercialization and serial production all over the world. (task 3.1)

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

TRUFUS concerns a thoroughly innovative transmission technology active on 2 levels: 1) transfer of energy with unrivaled high overall efficiency, 2) keeping the engine at its lowest consumption and emissions curve at all times.

MAZARO’s systems challenge all competitors having a better performance than all other CVTs: 94-98% versus maximum 89% thanks to: no gear shifting, no slipping and energy burning components, no internal drilling motion, no limited ratio spread, no time and fuel waste from pushing the throttle until drive-off.

Results expected to be demonstrated during the project:
• High fuel savings: 16-26% (+ related CO2 and particle emissions)
• EVs: 16% further driving range and maximum speed increased by 50%
• 4% purchase cost saving thanks to the lower number of parts (139 components vs. 900-1000 for standard system).
• Fun driving, 4 times faster throttle response than a high level sportscar

The main market targeted by the project (because of the technology’s high degree of novelty, MAZARO’s market will initially be lower volumes (10 000s of units per segment):
• Combustion engine driven city buses, garbage trucks, material handling equipment, tractors
• Plug-in e-delivery vans and e-buses
• Bus auxiliaries like air compressors, alternators, airco systems

E-mobility becomes more and more relevant both in on- and off-highway. Certainly the heavier vehicles like trucks, buses and off-highway equipment suffer from lack of performance, too many and costly batteries. The TRUFUS-project has cleared the way for Mazaro to enter these markets: a demo vehicle of the right choice is available and it shows how it solves the problems in E-mobility. The SVT offers exactly all the required qualities, especially its very high efficiency is of utmost importance. Technically Mazaro is ready to launch an SVT for any electric vehicle. Only conservatism or reluctancy against innovation still can be a threshold.
Commercially Mazaro is evolved to a much stronger position thanks to the alliances with 2 major companies active all over the world. Vehicle manufacturers will easier overcome their reluctance against innovation when this innovation is supported by a large company.

Although most of the market interest goes to the SVT, the RVT remains attractive for trucks and buses with a combustion engine in dense traffic, a market with whom our Indian alliance has a strong commercial connection. Besides that, there are 2 commercial contacts ongoing in the European off-highway market.

Demonstration vehicle with svt.