Groschopp News & Press

Mobile machines and equipment are causing considerable pollutant emissions in inner-city building sites according to the Federal Environment Agency. In order to improve the quality of life for the general public, one leading manufacturer of communal vehicles, three midsize companies and three research facilities have created the project 'Muffel+'.

'Muffel+' stands for an intelligent and energy-efficient (hybrid) electrical drive-platform for multi-functional vehicles. These vehicles are used primarily as automotive building- and working machinery in viniculture or as all-terrain communal vehicles. Besides the traction drive, auxiliary aggregates like brushes, snow-blowers or mincers need to be driven also.

Electrical Diesel-drives with intelligent controllers

Modern power electronics, a high efficiency factor of electrical drives, and powerful battery technology make it possible to equip these diesel-electrical drives (or fuel cells in future) with a battery acting as back-up memory in multi-functional vehicles. The controller-unit switches the diesel-feed on or off as needed, so that the motor-drive is operated within a permanent optimum regarding usage and performance. The vehicle can be driven electrically once the battery has capacity. The intention is to replace the drive-platform in future with an open generator interface. This means that an exclusively electrical, and emission-free, operation of these vehicles is possible. The drives are developed by Groschopp in cooperation with the Institute of Technology, Düsseldorf.

First Milestones have been mastered

The four companies involved (Max Holder GmbH, Nantis GmbH, REFU Elektronik GmbH, Groschopp AG) and three research facilities (Institute of Technology Aalen, Institute of Technology Düsseldorf and University Stuttgart) have presented the results of the project work achieved in the last six months at a 'milestone-meeting' in Metzingen. Solution concepts were developed despite the confined space inside the multi-functional vehicles, which satisfy the requirements of the end-user and the manufacturer of the vehicle, Max Holder GmbH. Due to the scalability, the drive-platform is also suitable for other types of vehicles like those used in building works.

Network for electrical mobility

The project is embedded in the network e-mobility, monitored by the EurA AG, with the objective to prepare medium-sized German supply industries for the challenge of electro-mobility. The Federal Ministry for Education, Research and Development supports the project within the framework of assistance measures "KMU-NetC" with 2.1 Million Euro (approx.). The network-management is currently constructing a project-related industrial circuit so as to meet the requirements of the branch at the development stage.

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