European Commission logo
polski polski
CORDIS - Wyniki badań wspieranych przez UE
CORDIS

Plug-in Electric System to Cut Emissions on Transportation

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ADDPLUGIN (Plug-in Electric System to Cut Emissions on Transportation)

Okres sprawozdawczy: 2021-03-01 do 2022-10-31

AddVolt is a technology-based Start-Up that has developed the World’s First Plug-in Electric system which eliminates the refrigerated vehicles diesel usage.
Our innovative solution is an intelligent, non-invasive and cloud-connected device that recovers energy during braking and truck’s slowdowns, stores it in batteries, and uses it to power the vehicle’s auxiliary units including refrigeration units and lifts gates, avoiding diesel usage, as well as CO2 emissions and noise.
Daily, about 1.1 Million refrigerated trucks are out on the European roads delivering food, pharmaceuticals, and frozen goods. Those vehicles have two engines: one to move the truck and another one to operate the refrigeration unit. Both of them are powered with diesel, producing CO2 emissions and high level of noise. This leads to a high impact of air pollution in city centers, causing damage to the population and to the environment.
AddVolt’s technology is taking a step forward to the electrification of the transport sector. Powering cooling units electrically, we make zero-emission deliveries across inner cities possible and ensure the integrity of the cold chain even when trucks are hybrid, electric, or hydrogen.

There are 4.5 million refrigerated trucks worldwide. The reduction in fuel consumption in the Heavy-Duty Vehicle’s (HDV) refrigeration unit allows for direct cost savings of 87-100% in fuel expenditure and an equivalent 87% to 100% reduction in the CO2 emissions (demonstrated in real use cases).
By using the all-electrical Plug-in system from AddVolt, the cargo’s temperature remains constant, safe, and reliable. Citizens from all over the world are the direct beneficiaries of AddVolt’s technology. It makes the operation of the refrigeration unit quieter, and it reduces the impact of logistics on human beings and the environment, due to the use of electric/kinetic energy.
The reduction of operating noise and the reduction of maintenance costs associated with the extended vehicle lifecycle are also important benefits to be considered. Furthermore, the economic and environmental benefits of AddVolt solution comply with the EU goals of transitioning to a low-carbon economy: the political, environmental, as well as public consciousness frameworks, are pushing the transportation industry to find more sustainable solutions and the industry must limit their emissions in accordance with the Europe 2030 strategy and the EU Directives. Europe is also progressively adopting Low Emission Zones or Green Zones in order to promote healthier urban areas. Concerns about noise emissions are being addressed, leading to the appearance of restrictions in the circulation on urban areas during the night-time (and impose noise restrictions, such as PIEK Standard).

In the near future, all vehicles will be supplied with energy that comes from renewable sources. AddVolt’s main goal is to power all transport cooling units using only renewable energy.
Our solution directly feeds the cooling, using stored electricity that was generated by our innovative and proprietary regenerative braking system or throught photovoltaic panels installed in the logistics warehouses, avoiding the need for the diesel engine, parked or in movement.
During the all project, AddVolt was able to successfully implement operating units in partners vehicles. The results of those implementations allowed AddVolt to push forward the technology and to initiate its validation in different operating regimes and in extreme environmental conditions (such as high humidity and low temperature environments). Thus, the technical certification portfolio of company’s technology was improved as well as the type of vehicles with units installed (e.g. hybrid trucks).
On the digital side of AddVolt’s solution, the digital platform “My AddVolt” was updated in accordance with the main inputs of installers and service partners received during the action.
Also, the company was able to successfully explore a first approach to a second life application to its solutions, throughout a mobile emergency charger to electric vehicles.
Economic and environmental challenges of refrigerated HDVs will continue to challenge the transportation industry in Europe and the World. Mostly due to the economic and, more recently, the COVID19 pandemic crisis, the transportation industry has started to adopt new and emerging solutions to increase their savings and resilience. The inefficiency of transport Refrigeration Units places considerable pressures on the food industry to reduce the energy consumption of refrigerated transport. The high fragmentation and intense competition – that is only expected to increase - between the transportation companies is pushing for innovative technologies and more competitive operations.
AddVolt is responding to customers’ growing demand for greener, quieter, and more efficient supply chain. Free from polluting emissions and with a low noise level, AddVolt solution allows delivery companies to operate in LEZ zones and in areas with limited noise up to 60 dB (PIEK standard). Simultaneously, AddVolt technology improves truck driver working conditions by reducing cab vibration and reducing vehicle noise. About 20% of all food produced in Europe is wasted. By maintaining the cold chain integrity, AddVolt is helping to keep products’ quality and reduce food waste.
By the end of the project, AddVolt completed the validation and adaptation of the technology to different regions, and to pushed foward to validate the sales model and market expansion model, to increase the visibility in the most important industry events, trade fairs and conferences and to complete demo applications in EU countries and US.
Addvolt Unit on Board of a Truck