Level 4 autonomous Kenworth T680 spotlighted alongside electric K270E
Paccar has used the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) to highlight its technological developments, honing in on autonomous and alternative powertrain offerings.
The Las Vegas-based showcase provided a glimpse of the not-too-distant future, at least closer to home for the American manufacturing giant, with three specific models on display:
- level 4 autonomous Kenworth T680
- battery-electric Kenworth K270E
- battery-electric Peterbilt 520EV.
Paccar notes Peterbilt and Kenworth designed the trucks for a range of customer applications, including general freight, refuse collection and urban distribution, with the T680 demonstraing “Paccar’s commitment to developing self-driving commercial vehicles for its customers”.
The medium-duty K270E, pictured, ranges 100-200 miles (161-322km), which Kenworth expects to deliver to customers this year.
Kenworth used the occasion to spruik a collaboration with component builder Dana on electric powertrain development for medium-duty Kenworths, with the K270E equipped with a Dana-designed e-Powertrain system.
“These advanced technology Kenworth and Peterbilt vehicles are environmentally-friendly and enhance our customers’ operations,” Paccar chief technology officer Kyle Quinn says.
“Paccar is investing in next-generation technologies across its portfolio of industry-leading transportation solutions.”
Paccar used last year’s CES to show off the Toyota-powered Kenworth T680
The proof-of-concept T680 was conceived and constructed at the Paccar Innovation Center, with local media reporting it is “equipped with cameras, lidar sensors, and radar to sense the surrounding road environment and to feed fusion algorithms in the perception stack for object identification and tracking”.
Meanwhile, the Peterbilt 520EV is currently being field tested by customers, collecting refuse on residential and commercial routes, operating a full day on a single charge.
Peterbilt expects to deliver 520EV trucks to customers in 2021.
“The Paccar Innovation Center in Silicon Valley has become a central player in the truck innovation ecosystem,” Paccar Innovation Center general manager Stephan Olsen says.
“Peterbilt and Kenworth are the clear trucks of choice among the leading independent autonomous driving technology developers.
“We look forward to deepening our productive partnerships with these innovative companies in the future.”