Ricardo, a a global environmental, engineering and strategic consulting company, is demonstrating its commitment to decarbonising global transport by leading a programme which will advance the next generation of clean, energy efficient, electric on-highway trucks.

Funded by the US Government’s Department of Energy (DOE), Ricardo is leading partners from government, academia and private industry to deliver a high power, high efficiency, silicon carbide inverter and integrated compact electronic drive unit (EDU) for a US industry benchmark Class 8 truck: a heavy duty commercial vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding 14969 kg. The programme’s priority is to have this dual axle truck in demonstration within 12 months in the Port of Long Beach: a container port in the United States, which adjoins Port of Los Angeles, in California.

Ricardo, the prime project recipient, is driving the development of the 800V, silicon carbide inverter which achieves 98.5% operating efficiency, exceeding the DOE phase 1 programme targets of 92.5%.