Designwerk puts first electric low-entry vehicle on the road

June 15, 2022 – The Swiss company Designwerk delivers another innovation with the handover of the first electric low-entry vehicle. The vehicle is used by the TIT Imhof company for green waste collection. In the Designwerk Low Cab vehicles, the combination of a small turning circle and long, intensive operations is unique on the market. With this development, the players are proving their innovative strength and bringing a pioneering achievement to the road.

Electromobility company Designwerk hands over the first fully electric low-entry vehicle for use to transport and waste disposal specialist TIT Imhof AG. The Designwerk Low Cab Collect, based on a Mercedes-Benz Econic, collects green waste in various towns and communities in the canton of Thurgau. Contena Ochsner is responsible for the superstructure with a Faun Variopress. The all-round visibility as well as the facilitated entry and exit allow ergonomic working for the drivers and loaders. The short wheelbase allows maximum maneuverability even in narrow streets. The fully electric low-entry vehicle is already the fifth electric truck from Designwerk to be used by the TIT Imhof Group. After a thorough examination and evaluation of the experiences made, it was a conscious decision for the co-managing director Dominic Imhof. At the company’s site in Kreuzlingen, the vehicles are fully recharged with solar energy after their missions. As a pioneer in the transport industry, the TIT Imhof Group is working flat out to use all the possibilities of electromobility and energy production.

Thanks to the service partnership with LARAG AG, the low cab vehicles are optimally supported throughout the country after delivery. Eight locations in Switzerland and various special departments make LARAG a specialist in commercial vehicles and alternative drives. With the expertise and experience of excellent employees, LARAG is the contact for customer-specific solutions and offers a reliable all-round service.

Development project convinces at final acceptance
With this handover, a significant development project of Designwerk celebrates a climax. The company built its first electric truck based on the Mercedes-Benz Econic. Accordingly, integrating the existing system into a new chassis type was also one of the biggest challenges. The Winterthur engineers mastered this thanks to close cooperation with Daimler Trucks. In the end, the final acceptance was convincing. “The feedback from Daimler Trucks in Wörth after the technical acceptance was that our Designwerk Low Cab is one of the best converted vehicles based on the Econic that they had ever accepted. This makes us incredibly proud and shows that we are on the right track,” says Head of Development e-truck Reto Schmid.

Low-entry vehicle with shortest wheelbase and highest battery capacity
The technical details resulting from the development are unique on the market to date. The Designwerk Low Cab vehicles, for example, have a battery capacity of up to 440 kilowatt hours with a wheelbase of 3,450 mm. This combination is unique and ensures a day’s use without intermediate charging and maximum maneuverability in urban areas. Thanks to an optimized powertrain and state-of-the-art battery technology, the electrified low-cab vehicles weigh very little more than today’s diesel vehicles. The continuously variable 1-speed transmission, in conjunction with the recuperation pedal, which is also continuously variable, allows easy handling and efficient and sensitive maneuvering.