How does an e-truck manage to transport tons of marble with (almost) no energy consumption?

04.12.2024 – How do you transport marble weighing several tons from the South Tyrolean Alps – and with almost no energy consumption? The all-electric e-truck from Designwerk shows that sustainability and heavy loads are not mutually exclusive. On a test drive with extreme gradients and precious stone giants, our e-truck proved how modern technology can revolutionize transport – quietly, efficiently and with an energy balance that amazes even experts. Sounds incredible? Read on and let us surprise you!

Saving energy through gravity – sounds impossible? Not for battery-electric transportation in special applications: The majestic peaks of South Tyrol, steep gravel roads and a huge load: Nothing is left to chance when it comes to transporting the legendary Covelano marble. Marx Transport GmbH from Schlanders in northern Italy had the opportunity to test one of our battery-powered e-trucks – the MID CAB 6x2R with 340 kWh battery capacity and 28 tons gross vehicle weight – on one of the most demanding routes. And the result? To put it mildly: groundbreaking.

A powerhouse in a natural paradise

The test drive took a special route through the Schlanders National Park in Italy.
The route profile can be described as extreme, with a difference in altitude of almost 1500 meters. With the aim of reaching the Covelano marble quarry at 2156 m above sea level, the test electric truck climbed gradients of up to 17 percent with a tare weight of 11.7 tons. On the way back, loaded with 15 tons of Covelano marble, it brought a total weight of 26.8 tons back down to the valley. And best of all: the Designwerk electric platform truck recuperated almost all of the energy required for the uphill journey. Recuperation converts the kinetic energy of the vehicle back into electrical energy. As soon as the driver activates recuperation, the four electric motors are used as a generator and feed the recovered power back into the high-voltage battery system. The highlight of the Designwerk vehicles: in addition to recuperation via the manual switch, stepless and intuitive recuperation is available via a left foot pedal. Once used, over 90 percent of drivers no longer want to do without it.

The specific results of the test

The test was carried out over a distance of almost 18 kilometers from the Marx GmbH headquarters in Schlanders to the Covelano marble quarry and back to Schlanders to the transport customer. Impressive values were measured:

Test vehicle configuration: MID CAB 6x2R, 28 T gross combination weight
Ascent (empty, 11.7 tons): 71 kWh energy consumption
Descent (loaded, 26.8 tons): 69 kWh recuperation

This means that 97% of the energy consumed was recovered and almost no energy was consumed despite the impressively heavy load.

97 % recuperation of the test vehicle

We were surprised by the results of the test drive. On the one hand, we weren’t sure at first how well the electric drive would cope with the inclines and the heavy marble. And on the other hand, we didn’t expect such a high level of energy recovery, says Alexander Marx, Managing Director of Marx GmbH after the test drives. It is a pleasure to be able to drive such a quiet and clean machine in the natural paradise of the Stelvio National Park. In real operation, marble blocks weighing up to 30 tons and 16 cubic meters are transported. In order to transport these loads and dimensions, the ideal vehicle for such transports is configured according to the customer’s special requirements.

This makes it possible to transport even larger and heavier marble blocks – or even two per trip in the case of smaller blocks. Naturally, the energy consumption values are adjusted accordingly:

Real-world vehicle configuration: MID CAB X 8x4R, 40 T gross combination weight
Ascent: approx. 108 kWh
Descent (recuperation): approx. 84 kWh
This corresponds to a net consumption of 24 kWh per trip
– or around 96 kWh for four trips per day

Comparison: diesel vs. electric

If you compare the values for real-life use with those of the equivalent diesel vehicle, the enormous savings potential in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions becomes clear. The diesel truck requires around 100 liters of diesel per day for the same application. Converted, that is 980 kWh of energy – more than ten times the consumption of the battery electric vehicle! This can save up to CHF 17,503 for 115 days of operation during the marble quarrying season. In addition, there are further savings due to lower maintenance costs, exemption from toll charges and other subsidy programs. Finally, the battery-powered electric vehicle pays off not only economically but also ecologically. In summer operation alone during the marble mining season, 36 tons less CO2 are released into the atmosphere with the battery-electric version than with the diesel-equivalent vehicle.

The Designwerk e-truck is unloaded at 682 m above sea level

Why is this a game changer?

On the forest paths and steep serpentines, our electric truck proves that sustainability and performance are not mutually exclusive. The vehicle overcomes the 1474 meters in altitude silently and emission-free, while protecting the sensitive ecosystem of the national park. Samuel Arji, Sales Engineer at Designwerk, supervised the vehicle test for Marx GmbH and came to the following conclusion after the test drives: “Critics do not see e-trucks as an equivalent replacement for diesel vehicles. Criteria such as charging infrastructure, costs, range or special operating conditions would not speak in favor of electric mobility for heavy commercial vehicles. The Marx GmbH test proves the opposite and shows the advantages of the battery-electric drive, particularly in special areas of application. With its minimal energy consumption, its ability to move loads weighing several tons and its drastically reduced emissions, the MID CAB Tipper 8x2R sets new standards for the use of battery-electric heavy commercial vehicles. A comparison with diesel shows how great the potential really is: 10 times less energy consumption and 36 tons less CO₂ per year in summer operation alone.

The bottom line

Whether for transporting marble in summer or on construction sites in winter – all-electric trucks from Designwerk Technologies AG are more than just battery-powered vehicles. They are part of the solution for decarbonizing the transport sector, low total cost solutions and a solution for complex and individual requirements in the field of special trucks. Ready to make the switch? Contact us and book a test drive. Designwerk paves the way.