UK Trailer manufacturer SDC have announced the European debut of their ground-breaking Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) semi-trailer at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in late September. A world’s first, SDC’s KERS trailer has been shortlisted for the prestigious trailer innovation award in the ‘Concept’ category which will be announced at the IAA event. The KERS innovation is one of three trailers SDC will have on display in Hannover, alongside a skeletal container chassis and the company’s new hospitality trailer.
SDC launched the fuel saving KERS trailer at the CV show in Birmingham earlier this year, with a prototype unit under-going road trials by logistics operator Eddie Stobart. The technology can deliver a reduction in fuel consumption by up to 25% and in doing so, significantly reduce CO2 and NOx emissions on HGV’s.
In June SDC revealed that the innovation could save operators as much as £10,978 annually on fuel expenditure alone. The patented technology employs a regenerative braking system to capture energy during vehicle deceleration and store it in a bank of graphene ultra-capacitors using static electricity. When the operator accelerates, control units on the tractor and trailer will communicate with each other to create a hybrid electric vehicle, which is powered through an electrically driven axle.
Regenerative braking systems have been adopted in automotive applications for many years, however, the market has lacked a similar solution for articulated lorries until now. SDC’s Engineering Manager, Jimmy Dorrian believes that the innovative KERS trailer is set to revolutionize the future of road freight transportation with “considerable benefits for the operator, the customer and the environment.”
SDC’s second show debut will be a multi-functional skeletal trailer, which has been designed with the operator in mind. The smart design allows containers to be moved to the rear of the trailer for ease of loading and off-loading. The skeletal trailer is adaptable to all standard container sizes including 20ft heavy and complies with European height restrictions for the international operator.
SDC’s impressive trailer range features curtainsiders, boxvans, skeletals, platforms and urban trailers, all of which are bespoke manufactured to meet operator requirements. The company was recently acquired by CIMC Vehicles, a leading trailer manufacturer with a global presence, who aim to bring SDC’s specialist trailer range to new markets.
CEO, Mark Cuskeran said that SDC had welcomed record trailer sales since the September 2014 IAA show, with a steady increase in export orders to Europe and the Middle East; “The IAA Commercial Vehicle show was a great success for us in 2014, providing an opportunity to touch base with our current customers and operators from further afield. The Hannover show is one of the key events for our industry, with people travelling from around the globe to source the leading solutions for mobility, transportation and logistics.”
The eight day IAA Commercial Vehicle event will be held at the Deutsche Messe Fairgrounds Convention Centre in Hannover with over 2,000 exhibitors and displays ranging from trailers, bodies and containers to trucks, buses, parts and transport logistics services. SDC will host a press conference on IAA stand FG P58, at 1.30pm, Thursday 22nd September with information on all of the company’s new product developments. The trailer innovation award presentation will take place on Friday 23rd September at the fairgrounds Convention Center.
