Kenworth, Dana partner on electric medium duty trucks

Las Vegas, Nevada – Kenworth and Dana are collaborating on electric powertrain development for medium duty Kenworth battery electric vehicles (EVs).

The zero-emissions Kenworth K270E cabover is equipped with Dana-designed e-Powertrain system that is fully integrated and upfitted to the Kenworth chassis. Configured as a direct drive system, the vehicle uses a Spicer Electrified e-propulsion system, and a standard Dana drive axle and driveshaft.

Dana also supplies an e-power system, which generates, stores, and manages the energy for the vehicle and consists of electrified auxiliary systems, an on-board charger, and two battery packs. Dana-developed software and controls enable the diagnostics and telemetry of the complete system.

The electric powertrain will be available with range options between 100 miles and 200 miles. The state-of-the-art, high-energy density battery packs can be recharged in about an hour using the vehicle’s DC fast-charging system, making the Class 6 Kenworth K270E and Class 7 K370E cabovers suitable for local pickup and delivery, as well as short regional haul operations.

“This is an important next step in our evolution of an electric powertrain. Dana is an industry leader in electrified modules and systems supported by in-house vehicle integration expertise. Kenworth plans to produce up to 100 medium duty cabover electric trucks in 2020,” said Kevin Baney, Kenworth general manager and PACCAR vice president.

“As demand for clean, electric-powered vehicles continues to grow, we are pleased to collaborate with Kenworth by providing the design, integration, and upfit of the complete e-powertrain for the K270E electric truck,” said Mark Wallace, president of Commercial Vehicle Drive Technologies for Dana. “Kenworth’s commitment to providing advanced vehicle technologies, combined with our proficiency in delivering end-to-end turnkey electric systems, will result in high-efficiency solutions that greatly reduce the total cost of ownership for vehicle operators.”