AEROFLEX AEROdynamic and FLEXible Trucks, Rethinking Long Distance Road Transport

Abstract

THE VISION OF THE AEROFLEX PROJECT IS TO SUPPORT VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS TO ACHIEVE THE COMING CHALLENGES FOR ROAD FREIGHT TRANSPORT. A new vision of future logistics for physical goods is required to achieve a sustainable logistics and transport system, a paradigm shift described as 'The Physical Internet'; rethinking future freight transport by the optimisation of multi-modal transport chains by drawing on the advantages of the different modes. Thus, it is essential to develop flexible and adaptable vehicles and loading units with optimised aerodynamics, powertrain for low emission and highly efficiency. The optimal matching of novel vehicle concepts and infrastructures is crucial, requiring intelligent access policies for trucks, load carriers and road infrastructures. This paper summarises its overall preliminary results. It covers boundaries and constraints from a market perspective, hybrid distributed powertrain and aerodynamic features for the complete vehicle, smart loading units, front-end design and finally consequences regarding the regulatory framework.