| Authors | n.n. |
| Country | Skogforsk (Projects) |
| Paper (PDF) | View paper |
| Category | Logistics & mills interface › Remote sensing & mapping |
research on measures to decrease fuel consumption of logging trucks
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ETTaero is an advanced variant of the Electrical Terrain Transporter concept that incorporates aerodynamic design principles and enhanced energy efficiency features to further reduce fuel or energy consumption during in-forest timber haulage. Where the base ETT platform focuses primarily on electrification and autonomy, the ETTaero extends the engineering envelope by optimising the vehicle body shape, drivetrain efficiency, and load management systems to minimise energy use per tonne-kilometre of wood transported. The aerodynamic refinements are particularly relevant when the vehicle operates on forest roads at higher speeds between landing areas, where drag becomes a meaningful contributor to energy consumption. The ETTaero concept also explores regenerative braking systems that recapture energy on downhill runs — a significant opportunity in the undulating terrain typical of Australian plantation regions in the Otways, Green Triangle, and south-west Western Australia. From an operational standpoint, the improved energy efficiency of the ETTaero translates directly into longer operational range per charge cycle, which is critical for forestry operations where charging infrastructure is sparse and shifts are long. Research into the ETTaero has considered the integration of lightweight composite materials to reduce the vehicle's tare weight and thereby increase payload efficiency, a factor of considerable economic importance given that haulage cost is one of the largest components of delivered wood cost in Australian forestry supply chains. The platform is also being considered in the context of hybrid configurations, where a small on-board generator or hydrogen fuel cell extends range beyond what battery-only systems can achieve. As regulatory and market pressure on the Australian forestry sector to demonstrate carbon neutrality intensifies, technologies like the ETTaero represent a pathway toward decarbonising the harvesting and in-forest transport phase of the wood supply chain.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Company | n.n. |
| Country | Skogforsk (Projects) |
| Type | Paper |
| Year | 2014 |
| FWPA RD&E | 4.3 |