Renault Trucks and six partners have launched the EDIT (Efficient Distribution Truck) project, which aims to reduce distribution vehicles’ fuel consumption by 13% compared with a current production vehicle.

The six partners are Valeo, Lamberet, Michelin, BeNomad, INSA de Lyon (LamCoS) and IFSTTAR (LICIT) and the project is receiving financial support from the FUI Regions fund.

The project’s aim is to design and develop a demonstration refrigerated transport vehicle consuming 13% less fuel than the reference Euro 6 distribution truck.This demonstration vehicle will have to use technologies that can be made commercially available by 2020, to which each partner is contributing their expertise.

The project will be based on various areas of research. First of all, the aerodynamics of the vehicle and refrigerated body will be thoroughly revised. Then, the prototype will be fitted with a low voltage macro-hybrid system which will recover some of the braking energy via a reversible electric system. This will be used to power auxiliary equipment with recovered electrical energy and can also provide occasional support to the internal combustion engine.

Lower rolling resistance tyres will also be tested. 

Another area of research concerns the development of a new driving aid system. It will be connected to traffic lights and able to detect when they will change.

The EDIT project is scheduled to end with the delivery of the first vehicle in 2018 but, ultimately, this project should lead to new market openings for distribution vehicles in Europe.